Everyday From Right Now
by pacifickay
Summary: Life after the war starts right now.  And everyday, Ron and Hermione will face it all:  Funerals, decisions about school and jobs, rebuilding families, at large Death Eaters, blissful moments with friends and, above all else, finally being together.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't have enough skills to write anything that even compares to J.K. Rowling.

**Everyday from Right Now  
**_Chapter 1  
_By pacifickay­­­

* * *

"That wand's more trouble than its worth," Harry said simply. "And quite honestly, I've had enough trouble for a lifetime." 

He twirled the Elder Wand in his fingers for a brief moment before stowing it in his pocket. Even with the war over and Voldemort dead, there was still more pressing matters to attend to than celebrating.

Looking back at Ron and Hermione, he sighed. "I reckon we should get back to the Great Hall," he said. "Make sure things are still being taken care of."

"Are you sure, Harry?" Hermione asked him. "Ron and I could go down there and take care of things and you can go rest a bit."

"Seriously, mate," Ron agreed, clapping him on the shoulder. "You look about ready to fall over. We can manage for a few hours without you."

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Hermione cut across him. "Honestly, Harry, it's nothing. You can head up to the dormitories and we'll just come get you after you have a chance to sleep."

He looked back and forth between the two of them, seeing their encouraging faces and felt a rush of gratitude towards them both. "Thanks," he said earnestly, smiling for the first time in hours. "I owe you guys."

Ron laughed. "You just defeated You-Know-Who, Harry. It's us who'll owe you for awhile."

Hermione hurried forward and gave Harry a hug before he gave them a final wave and headed out of the office. Ron and Hermione made to follow him, when suddenly Ron stopped in his tracks.

"What is it?" Hermione asked him curiously.

"Just hang on a second," Ron said, before turning back around and looking up at the portrait of Dumbledore on the wall, which was still beaming down at them. "Professor?"

"Yes, Mr. Weasley?" Dumbledore responded easily.

Ron reached into his pocket at pulled out the Deluminator. He turned it over in his hands for a moment before addressing Dumbledore again. "You saved my life, giving me this," he told the portrait solemnly. "I just…wanted to thank you."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Mr. Weasley, I daresay that you always knew which way you wanted to go. You just needed something to guide you to the correct path."

Ron glanced over his shoulder at Hermione and smiled sheepishly. "Too bad I was so thick that it took me that long to find my way."

"My dear boy, we all get lost in the dark sometimes. What matters is that we remain determined to seek the light within us, the light that can not be distinguished, and find ourselves back on the path we are meant to be on."

Dumbledore looked over at Hermione now and winked, causing her to go pink in the face. And with a final nod and smile at Ron, Dumbledore stood. "Now if you excuse me, there are some celebrations to attend to." And he walked out of his frame, appearing in another some ways along the wall, joining in a toast with a group of wizards and witches.

Ron shook his head, muttering something along the lines of "still brilliantly mad," before stuffing the Deluminator back into his pocket and walking over to Hermione. She smiled up at him and he smiled back, reaching out his hand to her.

Hermione took Ron's hand, and together they left the headmaster's office for the final time, as the cheers from the portraits followed them out.

"To those who fought to Dark Lord!"

"To friendship and love!"

"To Harry Potter!"

"Harry Potter!" The voices chorused as the door snapped shut.

* * *

"Alright," Hermione said in a tired voice, as she walked up to stand next to Ron, who was supervising the clean up of the grounds. "I told the last two groups to make sure that all the house-elves were accounted for and to also make sure that the seventh floor was at least decent." 

"This lot is just about done," Ron said, gesturing out at the crew cleaning up the debris from the lawns. "Ernie and Hannah said that their group is still handling the ones who are arriving from Hogsmeade, making sure they find who they're looking for or have a place to stay for the night."

"Speaking of that, is that what you and your family will be doing?" Hermione asked timidly. While most people still making their way to Hogwarts were to help in the clean-up of the castle, some were arriving to collect the bodies of family members they had lost.

A shiver passed across Ron's face before he spoke in a determinedly calm voice. "I s'pose so. I haven't really found out about that yet. I don't know whether Mum and Dad want to take…take him back home or…or have him here with the others. And I guess until we decide…" his voice trailed off as he continued to watch those still on the lawn, without really seeing them.

Hermione bit her lip. She hadn't meant to bring up Fred's death and Ron's forced tone of composure was almost making it worse. She could feel the tears threatening to spill from her eyes again, but held them back. She wanted to remain strong for as long as she could, not just for Ron, but also because she knew if she let go now, she may not be able to stop.

"They may want to keep him here," Ron said suddenly, taking Hermione by surprise. "I mean, if they do go through with that memorial, they may want him -" he closed his eyes to say the word, "-buried here with the others."

Hermione merely nodded, fearing if she spoke she would start to sob.

"He may have wanted that too, you know?" Ron asked, rubbing a hand anxiously through his hair. "I mean, he never finished school, really, but he'd probably think it'd be great fun to be here where all the other pranksters are. He'd get to see them use all the products from the joke shop. He'd like that."

Ron was talking quite rapidly now. His eyes were darting all over the place, unable to stay focused on one thing. It was as though he needed to get all these thoughts out, for he had been keeping them in since Fred was killed and now that he had started, he wanted them out in the open, because it hurt more when he kept them inside.

"Mum may want him back home though. Closer to the family. I suppose we could…could set something up out near our paddock. Then he could be there when we play Quidditch. That way he could take the mickey out of me whenever I miss a save, he'd like that too."

"Ron," Hermione said soothingly, placing a hand gently on his arm, trying to calm him. She could now feel him shaking and his voice was getting quieter and weaker with each word.

"Then again, we could always set him up somewhere in the village. I'm sure the Muggles wouldn't notice us, they never really do. I'm pretty sure there's a graveyard-" here he faltered, before drawing a great breath to finish "-a graveyard out there."

As he finished, he began to take deep breaths, trying to keep himself steady, but Hermione could tell that he was going to break down at any moment. Glancing hurriedly around, she felt a great surge of relief as she saw Neville walking towards them.

"Hey, guys," he said with a smile, "Alright?"

"Neville, do you think you could keep an eye on the clean-up?" Hermione asked him in a rush. "It'll only be a few more minutes, they're almost done."

"Sure thing, Hermione," he said. He looked at Ron and his smile faded instantly, as he realized what was going on.

"No problem," he said again, nodding at Hermione. "I've got it."

"Thank you so much, Neville," Hermione said, trying to smile, but knowing she failed. "Come on, Ron," she said gently, taking him by the elbow and leading him away.

For once, Ron didn't protest. In fact, it seemed like he had forgotten where he was and what was going on, as he allowed Hermione to lead him back to the front doors and into the entrance hall. Once there, she pulled Ron behind her, trying to go about unnoticed and praying that they would find an empty classroom. Thankfully, the classroom that Firenze normally taught in, still made to look like the forest, was deserted. She pushed Ron inside and quickly came after him, locking the door behind her.

Turning around, Hermione saw that Ron had walked into the middle of the classroom, in what was a clearing in a circle of trees. He was standing still with his arms crossed and shoulders hunched, staring at the ground. Hermione walked slowly over to him and came to stand in front of him.

"Ron?" She asked quietly. He didn't look up at her and his only response was an audible sniff. "Ron, if you'd rather be alone, I can go back with Neville and-"

"No," he said thickly. "I'm alright. I just need a moment to get it together."

Hermione frowned. "Ron, you don't have to hold this in. It's- "

"How could I face my family like that?" Ron said in a defeated whisper.

"What?"

"I stood there in front of them and said that I was there when they killed him." He said miserably. "I basically told them that I didn't save him. How it was Fred, instead of me, who-"

"Ronald Weasley, don't you dare talk that way!" Hermione cried, finally giving up and letting her own tears fall freely. "It's no one's fault what happened, it could have been any of us!" She reached out and took his face in her hands, tilting it up so that she could look him in the eyes. Blue met brown and didn't look away.

"We all knew what the risk was, fighting Voldemort. Fred knew it. And he always met it, didn't he? He risked himself getting Harry from his aunt and uncle's. He did _Potterwatch_ even when it was illegal. He came to help us here tonight without hesitating at all. And you know that's what he wanted to do."

Ron watched Hermione intently as tears clouded both of their visions. For it wasn't just Fred that her words applied to; they applied to everyone who had come to their aid last night. The other students, Order members, members from Dumbledore's army; all of them knew the risks and met them head on, for they knew that choosing to fight was better than sitting back and doing nothing.

"We can't feel guilty over what happened," Hermione insisted, smoothing her fingers gently under Ron's eyes, wiping the one tear that managed to escape. "Otherwise, it's like we're taking away from their sacrifice. Fred and Lupin and Tonks and everyone else, they fought to help us defeat Voldemort and make it safe for all of us. We have to repay them for that, by honoring them and to continue living, not by blaming ourselves."

Taking a deep breath, Ron nodded. Then he too brought his hands up and gently began to wipe at Hermione's face as well. "You're right of course," he said with a feeble smile. "I expect Fred would hit me upside the head for trying to take some credit in why he died. Probably would call me a git and accuse me of stealing his thunder."

Hermione gave a shaky laugh, her skin tingling where ever Ron's fingertips brushed. He was smiling back at her, but then a more serious look came to his features. "I do feel guilty over some other things though," he said.

"Ron, don't," she insisted, holding his face steady in her hands again, knowing what he was going to say. "It's alright."

"It's not," he said. He lowered his hands from her face, and instead brought them down around her waist, bringing her closer to him. "I feel like I owe you a lot, after…after everything."

Hermione shook her head, sliding her hands gently from his cheeks to his shoulders, and looking up at him. "You don't have to say anything right now, Ron. We've got plenty of time for that later."

"Later," Ron said in wonder. "Amazing isn't it? We've been going almost nonstop for months, and now it's like…it's like…"

"Like we have all the time in the world?"

"Exactly," he said, really smiling at her this time. "We have as much time as we want to do whatever we want."

Hermione smiled back at him. "What would you like to do first then?"

"I can think of a few things," Ron replied with a mischievous glint in his eye. "But first things first," he finished in a whisper. "C'mere."

Ron pulled Hermione in close, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, as she had so many hours before. But instead of a hurried kiss in the midst of a war, they simply held each other tightly, relishing in the close contact that they could not have had over the months of Horcrux hunting. Hermione buried her head into Ron's chest, hearing his heart beat softly under his clothing. He was so much taller than her, but now he was bending slightly, his face in her hair, breathing her in.

They stood there for awhile, simply holding each other, before Ron spoke again. "You know, we really ought to do this more often."

Hermione laughed softly, leaning back so she could see Ron's eyes twinkling back at her. "We will," she promised him. "As soon as we can."

Ron nodded, before he tilted his head down and kissed Hermione lightly on the forehead. Even before she could register the flutter in her stomach, he had pulled slightly back. "But for now," he said with a resigned sigh, "we should go get Harry and then go back to my family. See what we're going to do next."

He released his hands from her waist as she removed her arms from around his neck. Though no longer touching, they were still immensely close, merely an inch between them. They stared a moment longer at each other, each wishing that they could do more than they just had, but both knowing that it had to wait.

However, they weren't submitting themselves to complete isolation, as Ron once again extended his hand to Hermione, which she immediately took and held tightly in her own.

"We'll go together?" she asked him.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he replied, as they walked hand in hand out of the classroom and towards the dormitories, ready to meet every day of their new beginning side by side, starting right now.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Welcome to the story. While this will have a focus on Ron and Hermione, I am going to try and cover as many aspects as I can in the regarding the time period now known as "post-Deathly Hallows." So…let's see where this goes, shall we... :) 


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Anything you recognize belongs to Jo Rowling.

**Everyday From Right Now  
**_Chapter 2  
_By pacifickay

* * *

As Ron and Hermione headed up towards Gryffindor Tower, they could see the progress that had been made on the damaged castle. Lead in teams by Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout, dozens of students and adults alike had been dispatched throughout Hogwarts, tending to every inch of stone. Despite the earlier evacuations, many of the younger students had returned to help, and it was a common sight to see a first year working alongside a third and seventh year to repair a broken classroom. And while the echoes from the battle were reminiscent in the halls, they were marred slightly by the cleared floors, rebuilt statues, and the chatter of people.

Here and there, a shout of happiness or an enthusiastic wave would be tossed in Ron and Hermione's direction. True to the tradition of Hogwarts gossip, lots of the finer details of the trio's journey had begun to spread. It had always been common knowledge that they were friends of Harry Potter's, but now even Ron and Hermione had their names spoken in the discussion of Voldemort's final defeat.

"It's scary how accurate they can be too," Ron remarked as a gaggle of fifth years split right down the middle to let him and Hermione pass, all of them beaming widely and patting them on the back as they went by. "I can't figure out how they know, but they do."

"I suppose they just piece together everything they hear," Hermione said. "I had Anthony Goldstein and Terry Boot nearly question me to death about Horcruxes before they'd go mend the greenhouses."

"Really?" Ron asked, mildly impressed. "How'd they figure that out?"

"They heard Harry mention it when he was facing Voldemort and wanted to know what it was about."

"And did you tell them?"

"I skipped the more colorful details," Hermione responded wryly. "Mainly they just wanted to know how we got rid of them. I don't know what they expected to hear, but they seemed a little disappointed when I told them that the only thing the cup did was twist and writhe into a little bit of metal."

Ron snorted. "Well, compared to the locket and the snake, it is a bit anti-climatic."

Hermione looked at him curiously. "Why? What else happened when you destroyed the locket?" She knew they had stabbed it, but she also realized that she had never asked him or Harry exactly what had happened. And considering the fact that Ron's ears were going pink, she had a feeling there was more to it.

"Ron?"

He glanced at her briefly, a reluctant look on his face, and then shook his head. "Maybe I'll tell you later," he said seriously. He fell silent, but tightened his grip on her hand as they approached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Why, hello there dears," she said as they approached. "Lovely to see you two again."

"Hello," Hermione said. "You haven't changed the password since last night, have you? I heard it's supposed to be 'Gillyweed,' but-"

"That's fine, dear," the Fat Lady said with a wave of her hand. But before she swung forward, she gave them a final look and said knowingly, "And it's about time you two got together."

Hermione flushed and Ron's ears went red, but they both couldn't suppress their smiles as they went through the portrait hole.

"Can't keep anything hidden in this place, eh?" Ron said with an awkward grin at Hermione which she returned.

* * *

Once Ron and run up and woken Harry, the three of them made their way back down to find the rest of the Weasley family. However, as they neared the Great Hall, they could see a crowd of students at the doorway, craning over the heads of people in front of them, trying to see inside.

"What's going on?" Ron asked one of them.

"Professor McGonagall is giving us some final details," they responded.

"Details?" Harry asked, moving forward easily; once people realized who he was, they quickly and graciously let him toward the front, Ron and Hermione following closely.

"…and the school will remain open for the remainder of the term, though it is optional to stay, for lessons will be replaced with rebuilding." McGonagall was saying clearly to those still seated along the tables and crammed along the walls. "Now, the Hogwarts Express will be arriving to take you home tomorrow afternoon, should you wish to stay only until you pay your respects to those who will be buried here on the grounds…"

Ron visibly winced, but Hermione placed a soft hand on his arm and his expression softened.

"…staying later will have other arrangements made. Lastly, for our fifth year students, you can sit your O.W.L's as planned, or defer them until a later date. As for you seventh years, the N.E.W.T's will also take place as planned next week, but may also be deferred to sometime over the summer months."

"Do you think we can take our N.E.W.T's?" Hermione said hopefully.

Ron looked at her incredulously. "We spend a year tracking down Horcruxes, and you want to take _exams_?"

"It may not be that bad of idea," Harry whispered back. "We could at least sit the practical stuff. Besides, if we don't take them, how're we going to get the qualifications for a job?"

Ron opened his mouth to protest, but seemingly could not find a good argument at the moment, and fell into a huffy silence. Harry smirked at him.

"It will be a struggle," McGonagall carried on, her voice solemn, yet determined, "to finish the school year in the wake of such tragedy and success. But to carry on as planned, in the traditions of Hogwarts, is exactly what we all were fighting for. And I feel that is in our best interests to finish on a note of triumph over sorrow. That is all for the moment, carry on."

The people in the Hall were nodding and murmuring their approval, and there was even a small scatter of applause, as McGonagall stepped down to address some anxious looking students and families who had further questions.

"She makes a fair point," Harry said, as those around them started to re-group back to their duties, or else head up to the dormitories for a rest. "The sooner we can get started on a sense of normalcy, the better for my sanity."

"How you can talk about taking exams helping your sanity is be-," Ron began, but was cut off as Charlie made his way towards them.

"There you guys are," he said, looking as exhausted as they all felt. "Would you mind not disappearing like that without letting someone know?"

"How's everything, Charlie?" Hermione asked softly. There was no need for her to explain what she meant.

Charlie jerked his head in a sort of shrug. "We haven't exactly decided yet, that's sort of why we need you three."

"What's wrong?" Harry asked with a forced sense of calm.

"Well," Charlie began, now talking directly to his brother. "We can't seem to make up our mind where…you know…where he should be…"

Ron went pale, but looked right back at Charlie. "What do you think?"

Charlie motioned for them to follow him as he explained hurriedly in a low voice. "Well, obviously it's between taking him home or having him hear with the others at the memorial. Ginny, Mum, and me think he should be at home, but Bill and Percy are fighting for Hogwarts."

"Well, then it's done, isn't it?" Harry asked. "Hogwarts is being out voted."

"Technically, yeah," Charlie agreed, "but Fleur isn't voting, George isn't talking, and Dad is saying that the entire family needs to discuss it before its final."

Ron nodded grimly, but Harry and Hermione both shot anxious looks at each other, which Charlie saw.

"What?" he asked, actually stopping in his tracks and raising an eyebrow.

"Charlie," Hermione began weakly, "this really isn't- I mean- Harry and I –"

"We can't really say – it's for you to – we're not –" Harry hastened to add, but was cut off.

"Don't even say it," Charlie said firmly, actually pointing a threatening finger at Harry. "Just don't. You are both a part of this family, you always have been, and what you have to say means just as much as, if not more than, the rest of us."

Harry stared dumbfounded at Charlie for a second. He seemed to be waiting for Charlie to suddenly say he was just joking and let him go back. But in a style reminiscent of Mrs. Weasley, Charlie crossed his arms and glared at Harry. Very slowly, Harry nodded in agreement.

"Alright," he said. Charlie smiled briefly, before motioning them all to follow him again, slinging an arm around Harry as they walked.

"Ron, wait," Hermione hissed, holding him back by the arm.

"What's wrong?"

"I just- I- I don't think-" Hermione wished she could find the words but it was complicated. She felt overjoyed to hear that the Weasley's saw her and Harry as part of their family, even though that had gone without saying for years anyway. But the decision with Fred was different. In a way, she felt like she was an intruder on their grief and that she didn't have any place to offer an opinion. And even though Charlie had said that her opinion counted a lot what if she said the wrong thing? How could she attempt to disagree with them on something like this?

Ron could see her struggling with herself, and shook his head. "Hermione, don't make me repeat what Charlie said."

"But-"

Without any hint of embarrassment, Ron reached out and placed his fingers lightly over Hermione's mouth, sending her voice into immediate silence and her heart immediately racing.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to," he told her gently. "But I'm going to tell you right now that I don't think I can do this without you."

She stared at him, noting how often they had done this, simply staring at each other, and realized that each time she could hardly bring herself to tear her eyes from his.

"Please, Hermione," he said. "We need you for this…_I_ need you for this."

Swallowing hard and holding back the tears, she nodded. "Together, right?" she whispered, her lips brushing against Ron's fingertips.

"Right," Ron said, removing his hand slowly. Then leaning in quickly, he kissed her on the cheek, before taking her hand and following after Harry and Charlie, leaving Hermione's head to whirl yet again over the feel of his lips.

The rest of the Weasley family had settled itself at what would normally have been the Gryffindor table at the far side of the Great Hall. They were clustered at the end, Mr. Weasley was standing and seated to his left were Percy, Bill, and Fleur. George was on the right, but he was slightly detached from the group, staring down at the table top. Next to him were Mrs. Weasley and Ginny, who looked over as the remaining four in their party came closer.

"Excellent," she huffed, standing up and giving Charlie her seat, as she ran at Harry and threw her arms around him.

"Sorry we haven't stayed in one place, Mrs. Weasley," he said over Ginny's shoulder, but holding her just as tightly, "we've had some final things to straighten up."

"That's fine, dear, I understand," Mrs. Weasley responded in a slightly hoarse voice. "We just wanted to make sure you had a say in this."

"In other words," Ginny said, releasing Harry to glare across at her siblings and sister-in-law, "you can tell these three that they are being stupid."

Percy merely glanced away without speaking and Fleur became interested in the afternoon sky reflected up above in the enchanted ceiling. Bill, however, flared up.

"Well, excuse us for thinking that having him here would be an honor to the fact that this is where he last stood in battle! How silly of us!"

"No one's saying it wouldn't be an honor," Charlie said, as if he had never left the table. "But we want him closer to us. Closer to home."

"Boys, we've heard all this before," Mr. Weasley said tiredly. "We just need to make a decision."

"I still theenk zat either place would be fine," Fleur said calmly. "Why does eet 'ave to be zis or zat?"

"What do you three think?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. There was a brief pause in which Hermione bit her lip, Harry glanced at Ginny, and Ron looked over at a still silent George.

"I agree with Fleur," Harry finally said slowly. "Because," he continued, raising an eyebrow at Ginny, who for a brief second looked confused, "no matter where he is, people will always know what Fred gave in battle, and people will honor him for it."

Percy looked from Harry to Bill and then quietly said, "That's a fair point, Bill."

"I know it is," Bill said, and his voice shook, "but I just want him to be remembered. I want people to know what he did. And if he's with us…"

"It's like Harry said though," Hermione said softly, "everyone will know. They won't forget Fred anytime soon. You don't have to worry about that." Fleur nodded in agreement, placing her hand over Bill's as he looked away with tears in his eyes again.

"Ron?" Mr. Weasley asked. Ron had stayed quiet through the exchange and was still looking over at George with an odd look on his face.

George was still sitting apart from the rest, as if hoping they wouldn't see him, or maybe as a way to pretend he wasn't a part of the crushing reality of trying to decide where to bury his twin. His hair was covering his eyes and his hands were clenched on the table in front of him.

In the silence, all eyes turned towards Ron and then began to look between him and George. Ron let go of Hermione's hand and walked over to where his brother was sitting. Cautiously, he placed a hand on George's shoulder. The action seemed to bring George back to the rest of them, for he raised his head and looked up at Ron in wonder, as if he had never seen him before.

"George?" Ron said, in a tone that took everyone by surprise. His voice was gentle and soothing, almost as if he were talking to a scared child. "What do you want us to do?"

Mrs. Weasley broke into silent tears, Percy was staring at the scene with wide eyes, and the others were simply stunned at their own carelessness. For by not wanting to upset George, they had ultimately not heard his own thoughts on the subject.

While everyone had bloodshot eyes, tired faces, and tear stained cheeks, it was nothing compared to how George looked. But as he stared up at Ron, who looked steadily back at him, a light seemed to flicker back alive in his face and slowly, his fists unclenched on the table.

"I want him to come home with me," George said to Ron, his voice no more than a whisper after being used for the first time in hours. "He needs to come home."

Ron looked back up at the rest of his family. "Then that's what we're going to do."

All the Weasley's, Harry, and Hermione nodded, before taking turns looking away from each other so that each person had a chance to wipe at their eyes.

"I'll go let Minerva know our decision," Mr. Weasley said.

"I'll come, Dad," Percy said, getting up and following his father.

One by one, everyone began to move from their positions and back into their earlier doings. After a long hug and exchange of apologies with Bill, Charlie went to go find Hagrid to assist with helping to cure the creatures that had more troublesome wounds. Harry went to hug Mrs. Weasley and Ginny walked over to Hermione.

"You know," Ginny whispered, "I never really realized it before."

"What's that?" Hermione asked.

"Well, with Percy being stupid up until a few hours ago, and Charlie and Bill being older, I never realized that, on the whole, Ron was actually pretty close with Fred…and still is with George."

Hermione blinked. It was almost as though hearing someone say it made it an indisputable fact. She and Ginny looked back over at Ron and George. As everyone around them moved, George had remained sitting and looking up at Ron, who had not changed his spot at all, his hand still on George's shoulder. They weren't doing anything other than looking at each other, but it was obvious that it was exactly what they both needed.

After another moment or two, Ron removed his hand and George got up from the bench and walked over to Ginny, who reached out and hugged him. Hermione took a step back and fell right into Ron, who steadied her by sliding a hand around her waist.

"Careful," he said, his voice rumbling over her.

"Sorry," she muttered, trying not to focus on how hard it was to concentrate when he was touching her. "I think I'm just tired."

"You _all_ look exhausted," Mrs. Weasley half-scolded over George's shoulder, who had also gone to embrace her as well. "I think we all ought to get some rest. Where are you all staying?" she added.

Several floors of the castle had been converted into rooms where the additional family members and other people who had come to the school were allowed to stay. Bill, Fleur, and Charlie were all in such a room and with assurances to Mrs. Weasley that they would go straight to bed, the others were allowed to go back to Gryffindor Tower on their own. They had just begun to take a few steps towards the exit of the Hall when a voice rang out to them.

"Ron! Hermione! Wait a minute," and they turned to see Percy hurrying over to them, clutching two thin packages under his arm.

"Professor McGonagall wanted me to give these to you. They were delivered to her office earlier today. From Mr. Ollivander?" He passed one to each of them and then handed a letter to Hermione. "Any idea what they-"

"Wands!" Ron exclaimed, setting the box down on a nearby bench at once and beginning to open it excitedly.

"You don't really think…?" Hermione asked in wonder, passing the letter to Harry as she began to open her package as well.

"But you two had wands," Ginny said confused. "What were you fighting with then?"

"They weren't ours," said, Ron. "We lost ours when we got caught by Snatchers – long story- and we've been using ones we nicked off of – Blimey!" he finished in an awed voice, carefully pulling the new wand from the box, "It is! Wow, this is great, look at it!"

Hermione let out a pleased gasp as well as she finally got the top of the box off and removed her own new wand as well. "Oh my goodness!" she said happily, as she gave it a wave and silver sparks flew out. "This feels amazing!"

"Do you even want to know what they're made of?" Harry grinned at them. He had opened the letter and Ginny was reading it over his shoulder.

"What does it say, Harry?" Percy asked him. Harry read:

"'_Dear Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger,  
I hope these reach you soon. I was not sure where it would be safe to send them, but did not want to hold on to them any longer than necessary. I can never thank you two or Mr. Potter enough for all you did for me, but hope you will accept these brand new wands as an expression of my deep gratefulness.  
Ron, your wand is made of ash. Thirteen inches long. Unicorn hair. Very reliable.  
Hermione, yours is hazel wood. Ten and three-quarter inches long. Dragon heartstring. Excellent precision.  
I do believe these will be fit to your liking. The wand may choose the wizard, but here, the wandmaker had the pleasure to know the wizard and witch. A therefore, the partnership will be even more exact.  
With gratitude,  
Mr. Ollivander.'"_

"Blimey," Ron repeated again, looking down at the wand in his hand, utterly stunned. "Too bad we didn't get them just a day earlier. I could've really kicked Greyback's arse."

"I can't believe he though of us," Hermione said, her eyes shining. "That was very nice of him."

"Well, he knew we all had someone else's wand," Harry reminded her. "Remember when we talked to him at Shell Cottage? He probably didn't like knowing that you two had to work without your own."

They spent another few moments, admiring the new wands and passing them around for the rest of the family to see.

"Alright," Mrs. Weasley finally said firmly. "We've been here long enough. You lot, off to bed. _Straight_ to bed," she called after their retreating back.

"Where else are we going to go? Hogsmeade for a round of Butterbeer?" Ginny snorted as the five walked out of the Great Hall.

"Don't tempt me," Ron said, pocketing his wand gently and then reaching over and taking Hermione's hand. It was almost second nature to the both of them now.

"There is room up in the Tower, right?" Hermione said anxiously.

"There is," Harry assured her. "Most of the younger kids are gone, so the first and second year dorms are open, should we get crowded.

Ginny looked at Ron and Hermione's entwined hands and then at Harry before she seized his as well. "And anyway, if we need to double up on the beds, I'm sure that'll be no problem…"

Ron groaned "Don't make me hex you with my new wand, Ginny," he warned her.

Ginny replied by sticking her tongue out at him and the others started laughing as they headed up to Gryffindor Tower.

_

* * *

_**  
Author's Note:** While this chapter does get out more details and answer more post-DH questions…it is more transitional than anything. And for your patience with it, Chapter 3, includes MUCH more Ron/Hermione. Sound fair? ;) 

And if you have anything to say, you know what to do! No review goes unread or unconsidered or unappreciated :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Nothing Harry Potter related will ever be mine…unless I somehow become J.K. Rowling overnight. …which would actually just be creepy.

**Everyday from Right Now  
**_Chapter 3  
_By pacifickay­­­

* * *

It was nearing the late afternoon, but as the events from last night began to take its toll on everyone, the corridors were already becoming more and more deserted as people took to their beds throughout the castle. Tomorrow was not likely to get any easier, as that was when the memorial was planned, but for now many took comfort in knowing that for the first time in a long time, they could sleep without worrying. 

Harry and Ginny were leading the way, Harry's arm now tightly around her waist, talking quietly about nothing in particular. George was behind them, looking up and down the walls of the corridor, as if taking in the still cracked bricks and broken windows that had not been fixed yet. And Ron and Hermione brought up the rear, hand in hand once more, Ron's eyes fixed on the back of his brother's head, and Hermione watching Ron.

When they entered the common room, they found it blissfully deserted, so that they did not have to be interrogated by any more admirers just this minute.

"I feel sort of bad," Harry remarked, "you guys are probably a lot more tired than I am."

"Let's argue about that until I fall asleep first, alright?" Ginny yawned. "I'm bunking with you, obviously," she added to Harry, a fierce look in her eyes.

Ron rolled his eyes pointedly, but said nothing else as Harry grinned guiltily at him before he and Ginny said goodnight to the others and all but ran after each other upstairs to the dormitory.

"That's a first, Ron," Hermione remarked amusedly. "No death threats this time around?"

"I figure that with Seamus, Dean, and Neville there, they can't snog forever," he said with a mock defeated tone. "Besides, Harry hasn't gotten the girl yet, so he ought to have his shot too," he added, with a smile at Hermione.

She returned it quickly, before she turned to George, who was looking out the window. "George, you sure you'll be alright in the first years' dorm?"

"Yeah," he said plainly. "It's no big deal. Little titches aren't here to crowd it, so that's a plus." Even this small attempt of humor seemed like a miracle and Hermione smiled warmly at him. And while it didn't last long, a corner of George's mouth lifted back at her.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow then," she said. She turned to Ron, and for a second their eyes met as they had so many times before, each reflecting the gap between what they wanted to happen and what they would submit to. With a smile, Hermione reached up and hugged Ron tightly and he squeezed her back.

"See you," he told her softly. Before Hermione broke away, she kissed Ron on the cheek and with a final wave at George she walked over to the girls' staircase. She had only walked up three steps when she heard George speak again.

"So, when did that happen?" he asked Ron.

"When did what happen?"

"When did you and Hermione stop being stupid and get going with each other?"

Hermione froze in mid-step on the stairs. She was expecting to hear Ron sputter at his brother, or tell him to bugger off, or even to laugh and try to deny it…

"Yesterday," Ron answered truthfully, no trace of embarrassment in his voice.

"Really? Did you pull out tactic number ten from the book, or did you use your own, and therefore non-existent, charm?"

_What book?_ Hermione thought inwardly, before sneaking down several stairs, sticking close to the shadows to hear what Ron was saying. She heard him laugh and, peaking around the corner, could see the back of his head, which he was shaking.

"It sort of just happened," he said. "I mean, this past year, we were sort of, you know, already there for each other. But yeah, yesterday, before things got more out of hand, everything just clicked into place."

"Well," George said raising his eyebrows, "I'm impressed little brother. Well done."

"Really?" Ron asked, with a faint note of surprise. "Not going to ask if she was Confunded into it or anything?"

"Nah. You and I both know you don't have enough skill to Confund Hermione. And anyway-" Hermione saw George look Ron right in the eye again "- after what you did for me down in the Great Hall, I can at least lay off you two for a little while."

"It's was noth-" Ron began, but was cut off as George stepped forward and hugged him.

"It was everything," George responded simply. He pulled back and without another word started towards the boys' staircase. Ron watched him go and Hermione waited for him to follow, but then George paused and turned back around.

"By the way, Ron, she's still on the stairs."

Hermione bypassed pink and went straight to red, as Ron whipped his head around to see her still peaking around the corner. George's face broke into the first real smile he had worn for hours.

"Remind me to teach you the finer points of sneaking around, Hermione. You need 'em. Goodnight, you two. And behave," he added, before disappearing up the stairs.

"Well," Ron said, looking at Hermione. "At least it got him to smile."

"Ron, I'm sorry," Hermione began, wholly embarrassed. There was no point in pretending she hadn't heard or seen anything, so she walked back down the stairs and went over to him. "I shouldn't have done that. I just-well-I mean-I-"

"Wanted to make sure I wasn't going to deny the fact that we kissed?" Ron supplied.

She winced, but fell silent, for if she was honest with herself, that sort of was partly why she had stayed; she had wanted to hear how he was going to respond when asked about what was now going on between them.

"Hermione Granger, you're supposed to be brilliant," he teased gently, reaching out and taking both her hands in his. "You've got to know by now that we're past, as my brother so eloquently put it, being stupid when it comes to each other."

"I just didn't want to hear you say that you thought it didn't mean anything," she said quietly, voicing her own fears now. "That it happened in a moment of panic or that it didn't mean anything else was going to happen."

Ron frowned at her. "That's not what you think it was, is it?"

"No!" Hermione said hurriedly.

"Okay good, because as I remember, you kissed me first, so it'd be on your head if you wanted to take it back." His voice had lowered, and he was inching closer and closer to her, the gap between them get smaller.

"I don't want to take it back," she replied. "But I do wish I would've done it a lot sooner."

"You and me both," he laughed softly. "I'm glad you took the initiative."

"Well, at the rate you were going? If I hadn't done it, who knows when you –"

Before she could finish, Ron effectively cut her off by leaning down and capturing her lips with his. Hermione's eyes slid closed and she took her hands from Ron's to place them on his shoulders as he moved to hold her by the small of her back. After a few seconds, Ron broke away.

"How's that for initiative?" he asked, grinning down at Hermione, his eyes sparkling.

"Much better," she gasped, standing on tiptoe to kiss him again. Ron chuckled softly against her lips before he kissed her eagerly back. He noted how these kisses were much different from yesterday; not frantic, but sweet and lasting.

After a few minutes, Hermione remembered something.

"Ron?" she asked in the second where they broke away again and before he could return to her mouth.

"Hmm?"

"What book was George talking about?"

Ron's eyes snapped back open, his ears tingeing that familiar pink. "Er-what?"

"George asked you about whether or not you had used a book. And something about tactic ten. What was he talking about?"

Cursing the fact that Hermione's spying abilities were enough that she had heard that part of the conversation, Ron sighed. "It's nothing, don't worry about it."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Ron," she said seriously, removing her hands from his shoulders and instead crossing her arms in front of herself, "what book?"

Already missing her touch, Ron frowned at her sudden change in posture. "It's not like you'd want to read it," he said in a feeble attempt to try to make her loose interest.

She looked closely at him, and then said slowly. "Alright. If you won't tell me about the book, then will you tell me about the locket?"

Ron's eyes widened, and he convulsively tightened his grip on Hermione, who noted this similar reaction to the one he had had earlier over the same topic.

"No," he said.

"To which one?"

"Both," he said vehemently, removing his hands from around her and instead running one nervously through his hair.

They stared at each other, Hermione standing firm and Ron wishing someone would come through the portrait hole to interrupt.

"What are you hiding, Ron?"

"Hermione, don't, it's not that-"

"Well, you know you can talk me, right?"

"'Course I do, but-"

"Then why don't you? What's so bad that you can't talk to me about it?"

"The locket," Ron muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing!" he said, a little too loudly. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.

"It's not 'nothing,' Ronald-"

"Drop it, Hermione," he said in a low voice. He didn't want to get mad at her. She didn't know, but he couldn't tell her; at least not now. But the more she pushed it, the more he started to get defensive.

"No," she persisted, her own voice rising. "If we're done being stupid, why can't we be honest with each other?"

"It's nothing to do with that. It's just not important, alright?"

"Well, it must be, because you're so keen to not talk about it. It obviously means something."

"You're unbelievable," Ron finally snapped, throwing his hands in the air. "What does it matter whether or not we talk about important things? I was perfectly content with just kissing you!"

Ron knew he had said the wrong thing as Hermione's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Oh, well, _excuse_ me for caring so much about you that I actually wanted to do more than just kissing." Her voice rose sharply. "What was I thinking? So, I should've just shut up and kept snogging you, is that it?"

"I didn't say that!"

"You didn't have to! According to you, the only thing you want from me is a snog and you'll be fine."

"Hermione," he said loudly, trying to not grow any more upset, "that is not what I want and you know it."

"You're right, why stop at snogging when you can always-"

"Stop it!" he yelled. "Don't even say-"

"No, I will say it!" she cried, her eyes now swimming with tears. "Do you know why, Ron? Because I want us to talk to each other! I want that with you! I'm not going to sit around only snogging from dawn until dusk! Who do you think I am, Lavender?!"

There was a pause in which both Ron and Hermione inhaled sharply as their faces read nothing but shock. It was the first time that this topic had been brought up, outside of vague allusions to it. And in light of everything else that had happened over the past year, including up until mere minutes earlier, it was almost like they were taking a step backward.

Ron opened his mouth, shut it, and then opened it again. "Hermione," he choked out, "that's not- _no_- you know that I never-"

"Forget it," she whispered, taking a step away from him. "I'm going to bed." She whirled around and began to walk quickly towards the girls' stairs again.

"No! Hermione, wait!" Ron cried, coming after her and grabbing her arm.

"Let go, Ron," she said, hoping against all hope that she sounded more severe than she did upset.

"No way," he insisted, trying to pull her towards him. She didn't move and she didn't look at him.

"I don't want to talk to you right now," she said flatly, but traitorous tears clouded her vision all the same. "And I'm not going to force you to talk to me."

For a second, Ron struggled inwardly with himself. He didn't want to make her anymore upset, but he knew if he let her go, there was a high possibility that this fight would continue into the next morning. At least, that was what usually happened when they fought. But Ron was beginning to think that the time of what "usually" went on between him and Hermione was fast coming to an end. And with the added thought of facing another day without Hermione by his side, he made up his mind.

"Well," he said simply, "then I guess that's where we differ."

Without further ado, he pulled on Hermione's arm so that she spun around to face him. And before she could do more than gasp in alarm, he leaned down, grabbed her by the legs and hoisted her off her feet and over his shoulder.

"RON!" Hermione shrieked, more at the embarrassing the thought of someone seeing them than out of anger. "Ronald Weasley, what are- how dare- put me down, now!"

"I will," he replied, "just give me a second. And would you quit kicking? You're going to hit me in the face."

"That's not all I'm going to – this is ridiculous –" she sputtered, grasping all around, trying to find something to grab onto as Ron moved across the room carrying her.

He made his way over towards the fireplace and settled on one of the squashy armchairs in front of it. "Right," he said, swinging Hermione down and placing her with a soft thump into the cushion, "time for a talk."

Hermione gaped at him for a moment before crossing her arms and legs and turning away from him. "I can't believe you did that," she huffed.

He rolled his eyes before kneeling down in front of her. Truth be told, neither could he. But ever since she had kissed him yesterday, he was becoming more and more upfront with her. It both thrilled and terrified him. "I've wanted to do that for awhile. I'm surprised at how easy it was."

"That was not fair. You're bigger than me." He had to suppress a grin at her tone. She sounded sort of like an upset child who had just been sent to time out by a parent.

"D'you want to hear about the book or not?" he asked her. She didn't answer, but Ron saw her eyes flicker over at him before she resumed glaring at the wall. It was enough for him, so he continued.

"At the end of last year, Fred and George gave me a book." Ron paused briefly, wondering a second too late about how to explain this to Hermione. "Do you remember that time I told you that you should write a book that explained to guys all the mental things that girls do?"

Hermione frowned briefly as she tried to recall the memory. Then her gaze softened and she looked over at Ron again. She was maintaining her silence, but her curiosity was no doubt getting the better of her as she nodded.

"Well, someone already had. Fred and George gave me a copy of it, saying that it was sure to sort me out. And a lot of it was really great, helped me figure stuff out."

"Stuff?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, looking up at her. "Like everything I had been doing wrong. And it helped me figure out what I really wanted."

It was obvious what he was saying and she couldn't stop herself from feeling a bit less angry at him as she uncrossed her limbs and looked back at him.

"I tell you for years to read _Hogwarts, A History_ or to just crack open a textbook once and awhile and yet you'll read this book no problem."

Ron smiled softly at her before continuing. "Well, the thing is, a lot of the stuff it was telling me to do wasn't going to work, so I had to do a lot of improvising. I was supposed to do things like help you study or find some time in the day where it was just us. But seeing as we were going with Harry, I couldn't always do that. Like, when I got to the chapter about asking you to dinner or something - that was under tactic ten, by the way- I knew I'd have to skip that."

Taking a chance, he gently touched the back of one of her hands, which were now resting in her lap. When she didn't shake him off, he left his there.

"I wish I could've done everything it told me," Ron said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I mean, obviously, we chose to go with Harry, and that's good, that's what we had to do and what we wanted to do. But," he added, looking into her face, "I still wish I could've done it all. Especially after everything with Lavender. I reckon I'll be trying to make up for that one for awhile."

"Ron," Hermione began. "I didn't mean to say that. I-"

"Wait," he said, holding up his free hand to stop her. "I need to say this before you change your mind and start yelling at me again." He shifted his position so that while he remained on his knees, when he straightened up, he was exactly at eye level with her.

"Hermione, we both know that I was an idiot last year. Well, for a lot of years. But it was never because I didn't care about you. I've always cared about you. I just never thought you would ever care the same way about me, so…so I was a prat."

He reached out and cupped her face gently his hands, marveling inwardly at how soft her skin was. "There are lots of things I did that I wish I could take back, but I can't, no matter how sorry I am. All I can tell you is that it drove me bloody mental, not being able to be able to just- to just _be_ with you the way I wanted. _You_ drive me mental," he said with a half-laugh, "you always have. But I like it. I don't ever want you to stop driving me up the wall."

"Oh, Ron," Hermione whispered, her eyes shining. "You are so stupid."

"Yeah, I know," he agreed. "But isn't that what makes me so charming?"

Hermione laughed, or maybe it was a sob; whatever it was, it didn't matter to either of them, as Ron leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips. When that ended, Hermione reached out and wrapped her arms around Ron's neck, pulling him closely into her embrace.

Ron buried his face in her hair, both proud and disbelieving at everything he had just told her. He had thought about doing it for ages, but he always thought he would blush and stumble through it. But it had come as readily and as easy as it was to smile at her or to wrap an arm around her shoulder when she needed comforting. It was almost as if the tensions between them were finally ending; not so much to change their relationship completely, but just enough that they could take it one step further each day.

"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered, her breath fluttering against his ear, making his stomach clench. "I didn't mean to go off on you. You just drive me crazy sometimes, too."

"Just returning the favor," he told her, pulling back slightly to meet her eyes again. She smiled warmly back at him.

"Well," Hermione said, "I think we'd better get to bed or else we won't be able to make it through tomorrow."

"In more ways than one," Ron sighed, getting to his feet and extending his hand to pull Hermione up. She took it and stood up as well and together they headed back for the staircases, hand in hand.

"So, you're not going to bunk with me?" he asked her hopefully, but with a grin on his face.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I think your dorm is crowded enough tonight."

"Urgh, don't remind me," he replied, pulling a face. Hermione giggled and then thought of something else.

"Ron, can I ask you one last thing?"

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "If you're going to ask about the locket-"

"No, but I haven't forgotten that either," she said. "No, I'm just curious, what was the name of the book?"

"Oh," Ron laughed, but it wasn't enough to hide the flush of embarrassment on his face. "Well, it was called _Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches_."

Hermione laughed right out loud, covering her mouth with her hand to try to stifle the sound. "Are you serious?" she asked from behind fingers.

"Yeah, well," Ron muttered, shuffling his feet, "like I said, I needed help."

"Well?" Hermione asked, still smiling. "Did you get your help? Did it work?"

Ron's features changed from lingering embarrassment to something else, something more soft and tender. He bent his face towards Hermione, but instead of kissing her again, he brushed his lips slowly along her jaw, from ear to chin and up again, causing her to shiver with…what? Pleasure? Fear? Anticipation? All three?

"You tell me," he whispered softly in her ear, and it was all she could do to stay standing as her knees went weak.

He leaned back to look at her and seeing her dazed expression, smirked. "Goodnight, Hermione," he said, letting go of her hand and turning away and walking up the boys' staircase without another word.

Hermione stared longingly after him for a few seconds, shook her head as if trying to clear it, and then headed up the staircase to her own dormitory.

_He's such a cheater_, she thought to herself later as she settled under her sheets. _But_, she also realized with a smile, before falling asleep, _I can always, as he put it, return the favor… _

* * *

**  
Author's Note:** Here you are, your first chapter of practically all Ron/Hermione interaction. Yay mindless fluff! Lol. It is one of quite a few such chapters as the story goes on… ;) 


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Yes, that's right, it's ALL mine. --Team of lawyers burst into the room-- I, uh, I mean, nothing is mine at all! It's Jo's, it's Jo's! --Lawyers walk out-- …whew!

**Everyday From Right Now  
**_Chapter 4  
_By pacifickay

* * *

When Harry had mentioned that he was going to sleep for the second time, he had forgotten to tell the others what it was like the first time. After everything that had happened to them - the Horcruxes, the constant fighting and escaping, and the final battle itself - seemed to catch up with Hermione as she slept. Her dreams were jumbled at best, things that actually occurred mixing with the what-ifs, blurring the lines between what had and hadn't happened. Here and there, she would jerk awake, expecting something to leap out at her, but soon forget it as exhaustion consumed her once more. 

Though far from peaceful, sleeping seemed to have done its job, for when Ginny came bursting into the room the next morning, Hermione was at least relaxed enough to not accidentally hex her out of fear.

"Hermione," Ginny hissed, coming over and placing a hand on her shoulder and giving her a light nudge. "Hermione, it's time to get up. Harry's getting Ron right now too, and he said they'd wait for us, but you know Ron. If he's hungry, he's going to go eat."

Hermione opened her eyes blearily and looked over at the window, where light was pouring in. "What time is it?"

"Considering we went to sleep yesterday afternoon? It's late." Ginny replied sitting on the foot of Hermione's bed. "But it's only about nine o'clock. Though actually, I expect for you and Ron it's a bit early, seeing as you didn't exactly go straight to bed."

Hermione's eyes shot open all the way and she sat up quickly to look at Ginny. "What do you mean?" she asked, trying to stay calm, but already knowing she blew it with her reaction.

"Hermione, please," Ginny snorted, "you ought to know by now that when you and my brother fight, it's hardly a quiet affair."

"Oh, you heard us?" Hermione winced, running her hand through her hair.

"Heard you? I expect most of the castle heard you. You kept several people in their beds anyway, for fear of being in the crossfire."

The absence of life other than her and Ron in the common room now explained, Hermione tried to remain composed and shook her head as she clambered out of bed and reached for her beaded bag to get out more clothes.

"Oh shoot," she said, as she summoned another set of clothes from the endless purse. "I forgot to give Harry and Ron something else to wear."

"That's okay," Ginny said dismissively, "I came in earlier and got some out for them. I'm borrowing this shirt of yours though, alright? Now," she said seriously, before Hermione could comment on any of that information, "what did he do?"

"What did who do?"

"Hermione, you can't pull off naïve very well. Ron. What did Ron do to cause a row and remind us forcibly about your earlier years here?"

"Oh, well-" Hermione said, hesitating as she pulled off her night clothes and changed into a clean shirt. She realized that she hadn't fully told Ginny yet about her and Ron. "Well, I have to sort of fill you in about other things before I can explain it."

"You guys seemed to be getting on well earlier," Ginny continued as Hermione went on changing. "I mean, I haven't been around you all for the past year-" Hermione noted the faint tone of bitterness "-but before you left, you two seemed sort of, well you know, more open with each other, and I saw you holding hands yesterday, but then you're fighting again…"

"Ginny," Hermione said, now in clean clothes and walking over to summon a brush out of her purse. "I don't think any amount of kisses or hand holding will ever be enough to stop me and Ron fighting." She quickly combed her hair and tossed the brush on the bed. "Quite honestly, that's just a part of who we are when we're together."

She smiled as she said it and looked over at Ginny, and her smile fell immediately into a look of worry. "Ginny? What's wrong?"

Ginny was staring at Hermione in pure shock, her mouth wide open as she stared at Hermione, dumbstruck. "What did you say?" Ginny said in a hushed whisper, as if she was afraid that talking too loud to disrupt the air.

"I- about what?" Hermione asked confused. There was no way that Ginny was surprised that she was holding Ron's hand, not when Ginny had been encouraging it for years.

"You said- you said '_no amount of kisses and hand holding_'. You said kisses. Did-oh my god-" Ginny said, her voice now rising as a smile started to spread over her face, "-did you guys- have you- you finally kissed?!"

Hermione couldn't help it; she too broke into a big smile and nodded.

"Hermione!" Ginny said happily, leaping up and hugging her tightly. "That's so great! I can't believe I missed it! When did it happen?"

"You're not so far behind, really," Hermione told her honestly. "It only happened the other night."

"Really?" Ginny asked, pulling away. "You had a whole year and still-"

Hermione laughed, "Well, it wasn't like we had much time to do anything up until quite recently. There's very little time to snog when there's Horcruxes to be destroyed."

Ginny grimaced. "Yeah, don't remind me."

"I'm sure you and Harry more than made up for it last night," Hermione said, in a slightly reproving, slightly amused tone.

Ginny smirked for a moment, and then waved her hand dismissively, "Harry and I are old news, Hermione. You and Ron should've been together in your fourth year, this is a lot bigger."

Hermione rolled her eyes, but at the same time felt a twinge of pain deep inside her. _Should've been together in fourth year?_, she thought grimly. _How could this have gone on so long?_

"Well, c'mon, then," Ginny said eagerly, sitting back on the bed and patting the spot beside her. "You got to see my big moment with Harry, so now I need the details on yours."

"Ginny!" Hermione laughed, snapping back from her thoughts. "He's your brother, I'm not going to describe-"

"Urgh, no! I don't mean all the grimy stuff. But I mean, how did it happen?"

So Hermione sat down beside Ginny and launched into the story about how she and Ron had just met up with Harry with the Basilisk fangs and as they made their way through the castle. She told her about how after they had seen her, Tonks, and Neville's grandmother outside of the Room of Requirement, Ron had brought up the house-elves. And she tried to keep her emotions in check as she recalled for Ginny how something in her had just snapped and knew that she was tired of waiting.

"So, I just ran over to him and, well, I kissed him," she said with a smile.

"And what'd he do? Not faint of shock I hope."

"No," Hermione said, thinking back and realized with a warm feeling in her heart what he had done. "No, he actually kissed me back right away. It was almost like he had been waiting for it too. He wasted no time, which is a first for him."

Ginny shook her head in an amused way. "Had I only hung back for a few seconds later! 'Course Harry would've gone mad, but still." Hermione laughed.

"But, now I'm really confused then," Ginny said. "If you guys had finally gotten things together, then why the row?"

"Oh," Hermione said, feeling a little ashamed at what had happened now. "Well, after you, Harry, and George went to bed, we were just talking a bit, and…and I don't know. One thing lead to another and we were bickering, but then," she sighed, "then I brought up what happened with Lavender last year."

Ginny groaned loudly and fell back on the bed. "_Hermione…_"

"I know, I know, you don't have to say it," Hermione said, shaking her head.

"I've told you a million times why he did that," Ginny said firmly to the ceiling. "He did it partly because of what I said. I'm not taking all the credit, because he didn't have to be a git about it, but I told you what happened. He never saw Lavender the way he saw you. You know that."

"Well, I do now," Hermione agreed, not wanting to talk about anyone named Lavender for a long time. "He told me as much last night."

"He told you that?" Ginny asked, so amazed that she sat back up again.

"In so many words, yes."

"Wow," Ginny remarked, looking impressed. "There may be hope for him after all."

"I think so," Hermione said, standing up. "So, anything else that I have to be questioned on? Or can we go down for breakfast before the boys send up a search party?"

"That's it for now," Ginny said cheerfully, bouncing up off the bed. "But I'll expect updates. I've missed out on a year's worth of progress with you two, so you owe me."

Hermione shook her head again, but this time with a coy smile. "We'll see," she said, sweeping Ginny out of the room ahead of her.

* * *

Hermione hadn't been the only one subject to a muddled sleep pattern that night. Ron also had to cope with the sort of dreams that made him wake up in a cold sweat, most of them containing a certain locket. And Hermione also was not the only one to have a loud awakening from a best friend. 

"OI!" Harry shouted, launching a pillow across the room and nailing Ron in the head. Obviously as a result of his own mixed dreams, Ron gave a startled yell, seized his wand from the night stand and tried leaping out of bed so fast that he got tangled in the sheets and fell over.

"Classic," Harry said through his laughter. "Months of camping in sleeping bags was worth it to come back to this."

"Harry, you're a right prat, mate," Ron glared at him, getting to his feet and throwing the pillow back at him.

Harry caught it easily. "Thanks," he said. "Anyway, Ginny got some more clothes for you from Hermione's purse, they're here," tossing those over at Ron now. "I swear I'm beginning to wonder how much she still has in there exactly."

"As long as these pants actually fit," Ron said, as he began to change, "then it's all fine by me. Where's Ginny now?"

"She went to go get Hermione. I said we'd meet them for breakfast. That is," Harry said, his tone becoming more serious, "if you two are still speaking."

"Why wouldn't we be speaking?" Ron asked with a muffled voice as he pulled his night shirt off over his head.

"Because of the way you two were shouting last night? I was worried she was going to start punching you again and I wasn't there to stop her."

"She didn't punch me," Ron said, pulling the clean shirt on. "She probably wanted to though," he added as he recalled the dangerous flash in her eyes when he had messed up last night.

Harry sighed and leaned against the bedpost of his four-poster. "Look, Ron, just because I stopped you two kissing the other day didn't mean I wanted you to go back to fighting."

"We're not fighting. Well, yeah, we did last night, I guess, but its okay now," he said.

"You're sure?"

Ron frowned at him. "Thanks for your confidence in me."

Harry put up his hands defensively. "Well, I don't know Ron. Every time I think things are good between you two, you end up fighting."

"Not every time," Ron retorted, ears going pink, because he knew it was true.

"Most times," Harry responded. "Let's not forget someone named Viktor Krum. Or Lavender Brown for that matter."

Ron groaned and put his face in his hands. "Not you too! How many other people are going to make me feel worse about it? Maybe Ginny would like another go, or my Mum."

"Me too? What do you-wait-hang on," Harry said slowly, "are you saying that you and Hermione fought about Lavender last night?"

Ron nodded without looking up. Harry let out a low whistle. "Bad luck, mate."

"You're telling me."

"And yet you're still alive," Harry said, now with a bit of wonder in his voice. "What did you do, put the Body-Bind on her?"

"Well, that's not how it started," Ron said, lowering his hands and looking over at Harry. "We were just talking, you know, about us and stuff. But she heard George ask me about that book about charming witches."

"No way," Harry cringed.

"Exactly," Ron said fervently. "So, of course, it being a book and her being Hermione, she asked about it. And when I wouldn't tell her, we sort of started arguing."

"How'd _that_ happen?"

"She got upset that I was hiding something else from her and-"

"Something else?"

"The locket," Ron said shortly, meeting Harry's gaze.

"Oh," Harry said awkwardly, not wanting to think back on that event. "Right."

"Anyway, it became this bigger row, you know, and I said something stupid, and then suddenly, she brought up Lavender. I mean, I thought we all sort of wordlessly acknowledged that I was an idiot, but that it was done and it didn't matter."

"Ron, c'mon, you know she doesn't just get over things like that. This is the same girl who cried for a week when you left-"

"Yet another thing I'll be paying for the rest of my life-" Ron said gloomily.

"-but," Harry continued hastily, "really, Hermione just…I don't know, I think she needs to talk to you about it. You both do."

"Well, we did," Ron said. "Or, at least I did."

"You did?" Harry asked raising an eyebrow.

"What is it with this reoccurring tone of surprise?" Ron said, rolling his eyes. "Yes, Harry. I, Ron Weasley, once accused of having the – what did she say? Oh, right – of having the emotional range of a teaspoon, sat Hermione Granger down last night and told her what I really thought about her."

Harry stared at him in disbelief. "You're kidding."

"Nope,"

"Blimey, Ron," Harry said, with an amused sort of smile, "I'm impressed. I guess the book didn't go to waste on you."

"Believe it or not," Ron said, "a lot of it was me. I'm just as surprised as everyone else," he added with a bemused grin, "but at the same time…I don't know, I'm just trying to move forward with her, you know? I'm not going to mess up anymore."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Harry said clapping Ron on the back with a grin. "You'll have to mess up sometime, but at least now you guys can make up a lot quicker."

In spite of the jab, Ron couldn't help but grin at that thought. "Too true," he said.

"But," Harry warned him, "not too many details, alright? I don't need to hear about you and Hermione snogging any more than you want to hear about me and Ginny."

"Thanks, Harry, now I've lost my appetite," Ron said with a groan, though he sobered up enough to ask, "So, you and her are back on, then? No ridiculous break-ups this time around?"

"Definitely not. When we finally got to talking-" Ron shook his head, but stayed quiet "-we pretty much talked about everything and we've picked up where things were left."

"Fair enough," Ron said approvingly. "And just so you know, I am dead set against any double dates between the four of us."

Harry laughed, before sighing and becoming more serious.

"C'mon, we'd better go down and wait for them. I'm not exactly looking forward to facing everything that is coming after breakfast without them."

Ron grimaced as well. The memorial for those who were being laid to rest at Hogwarts was due to take place at half past eleven. With a resigned sigh, and trying very hard to not think that in another day or so, they'd be doing the same thing for Fred, he stood up with Harry.

"Yeah," he said with a resigned voice. "If we have only an hour or so to be happy, then I'm taking it."

"You read my mind," Harry replied, as the two boys headed one after another down stairs.

* * *

On the basic principle that girls are more thorough storytellers, Harry and Ron still had to wait an extra five minutes before Ginny and Hermione walked out into the common room. And while Ron was certainly no stranger to feeling the butterflies in his stomach whenever he saw Hermione, he felt them nonetheless as he set eyes on her. She flushed pleasantly, leaving him no doubt that she was feeling the same way. 

"Sorry we're a little late," Ginny said, going to Harry and kissing him quickly, simply because she was still relishing in the fact that she could do that whenever she wanted. "Hermione had to find spare clothes for me."

"Not a problem," Harry said, brushing Ginny's hair behind her shoulder. "Ron took forever to get up anyway," but he winked at Ginny as he said it, silently communicating to her that, as planned, he had indeed made sure that everything was okay on Ron's side before coming down. Ginny smirked with a slight nod of her head, confirming the same for Hermione.

"Hey," Ron said to Hermione, coming up to her, both completely oblivious to Harry and Ginny's doings.

"Hi," she whispered back. She smiled at him before letting out a soft laugh. "Bit odd, isn't it? The morning after a fight, but now being able to stand the sight of each other?"

"It's a good change," Ron said, grinning, taking her hand. "After all, I am quite partial to the sight of you." Hermione flushed even more.

"Alright, now I'm the one loosing my appetite," Harry said, hitting Ron on the arm, bringing him and Hermione back to reality. "Let's hurry for breakfast and maybe it will come back."

"Oi, what about George?" Ron asked, looking back to the boys' stairs.

"He's already left," Ginny said, her expression going slightly downcast. "I went to get him before I went to get you, Hermione, but he was already heading out. He didn't even look like he had slept at all last night..."

On that note, it wasn't exactly the happiest walk down to the Great Hall. And once inside, that hope for a brief period of bliss was dashed. The black hangings that had been present at the death of another student years earlier were back up in the Hall, and while the students and their families, both those who stayed overnight and who had arrived in the morning to pay their respects were talking and eating together, there was still a mournful air that hung in the room.

The four of them walked over to what normally was the Gryffindor table, though of course students from all Houses and other guests were seated there as well. The rest of the family was sitting back at the same end that they were at from yesterday's decision about Fred.

"There you are," Mrs. Weasley said as they approached. There were already tears streaks down her cheeks, but she put on a well-composed front nonetheless. "Sit and have some breakfast. No need to hurry there's still time before- well, you have time."

Quiet good mornings were exchanged between everyone as Ginny, Ron and Hermione sat down. Before Harry could join them however, Professor McGonagall came up to him.

"Can I have a quick word, Harry?" she asked.

"Yes, Professor," Harry said, and with a glance at the rest of them followed her away towards the head table, where they joined Kingsley Shacklebolt, the acting Minister of Magic.

"What's that about, d'you reckon?" Ron asked, serving himself a large steaming pile of scrambled eggs and passing the dish to Hermione.

"I have an idea," Mr. Weasley piped up.

"What, Dad?" Bill asked.

"Well, Kingsley and Minerva asked me last night if I thought whether or not Harry would be up to speaking at today's proceedings.

He took a thoughtful bite of toast, then looked up at the rest of the table's anxious faces and shrugged. "It's not that surprising really."

"What did you tell them?" Charlie asked, looking up to where they were talking.

"That they'd have to ask him," Mr. Weasley said simply, returning to his food.

The other's looked back up at the front of the Hall. They couldn't see Harry's face, for his back was to them, but they could see Kingsley's mouth moving, his face calm and Professor McGonagall nodding every so often, looking at Harry with the same sort of expression.

"Well," Mrs. Weasley said, obviously trying to change the subject, "don't forget that we'll all be leaving by Floo Powder back home tonight. So make sure you have everything with you before then, I expect we'll leave after dinner."

"I hope they don't force him to do it," Hermione said quietly to Ron and Ginny, hardly listening to Mrs. Weasley, as the others also tried to start different conversations as a means of distraction. "But I guess it would be appropriate."

Ginny nodded, picking at her plate. "Yeah, I think so too, but they should've given him more time to think about it." Ron remained quiet, still eating, but his eyes were unfocused and he looked to be thinking about something.

Harry finally came back after a few more moments, and the others glanced nervously at each other, but didn't speak. He sat down and immediately pulled the bacon toward him, not meeting their eyes and began to eat. Following his lead, everyone else continued with breakfast, but they had stopped forcing any conversation.

Much sooner than they all would have liked, the dishes of food remnants and empty plates began to magically clear away. Bill checked his watch, "It's eleven. We should head out soon."

"I'm going to hang back for a bit," Harry said evenly, no emotion giving away anything. "Ginny? Ron? Hermione? Will you stay for a second?"

"Of course," Hermione said as Ron and Ginny nodded.

"Harry, dear-" Mrs. Weasley began tentatively.

"It's alright, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said, giving her a small smile. "It won't take long. You all go on ahead."

Mrs. Weasley still looked like she wanted to speak, but instead she nodded. "Alright, the rest of you, make sure you look sharp and then we'll meet outside. Try to find seats together and –"

Her voice faded away into the general murmur of the crowd as her and the rest of the family got up and started to leave the Great Hall, along with dozens of others who could no longer find an excuse to stay behind and began to exit as well.

Harry watched them go for a moment, a sort of concentration on his face; as if it was the first time he was realizing what was going on, trying to figure it out and how to best explain it. Ron and Hermione glanced nervously at each other. Ginny seemed to be torn between letting Harry speak himself and coming right out and asking; but in another moment the latter won.

"Harry?" Ginny asked quietly. "What did they say?"

* * *

_  
_**Author's Note:** Sorry about the (weak and cliché) cliff hanger as an ending to the chapter, lol, but I didn't want it to be too long, so I cut it there. I also had the urge to write an easy chapter, after three heavier ones. Alright, and I really wanted to write Ginny _fully_ back in and that required getting her caught up, hence her talk with Hermione. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I went to the ATM the other day, and seeing as I am in fact not a billionaire, I can't possibly be J.K. Rowing.

**Everyday From Right Now  
**_Chapter 5  
_By pacifickay

* * *

"_Harry?" Ginny asked quietly. "What did they say?"_

Harry blinked, then turned back to look at them. "Well," he began, "Professor McGonagall and Kingsley asked me if I would mind speaking today at the memorial."

Aside from some furtive glances at each other, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all stayed quiet.

"I can't say I didn't think this was coming," Harry continued, still speaking in that calm voice, "I suspected it. And I already made my decision; I'm going to do it. Nothing too long, just something short. But," he looked at each of them in turn, "I want to know what you guys think."

Ginny took a deep breath and said, "If you think you can do it Harry, then you should."

"Yeah, mate, it's really up to you," Ron said.

"We'll be alright with it," Hermione chimed in.

"I know that," Harry said, "but, I guess, I want to make sure you'll be okay without me," he was looking at Ginny as he said it, but it was still meant for all three of them.

"It's fine," Ginny said with a smile. "I'll be fine."

Harry smiled back and covered her hand with his. "Alright, just no laughing if I say something stupid, okay?"

"You won't say anything stupid," Hermione said encouragingly and Ron nodded.

"Hopefully," Harry said, raising his eyes to the enchanted ceiling, which was reflecting a pure blue sky. "Well, I have to go with the others who are speaking, so I guess I'll see you guys later."

"'Bye, Harry," Hermione said.

"See you later."

"'Bye," Harry said, turning quickly and kissing Ginny softly. "Try to find me when it's over, okay?"

"Alright," she said, gently touching his face. He smiled, gave a small wave to Ron and Hermione and then walked back towards the head table where other Professors and Kingsley were beginning to gather; Ginny watched him go, biting her lip anxiously.

"C'mon," Ron said softly to her and Hermione. "There's no point in waiting around. Let's go outside."

They all stood and joined the others who were also heading out of the castle. There was a slight hold up as they had to navigate through the queues in the entrance hall, but eventually they reached the front doors.

"It's alright," Ron said suddenly, once again in the soft tone of voice that was so different from him. Hermione looked up at him curiously, for she hadn't said anything, but instead she looked up to see that he had put an arm around Ginny, who had wiped hastily at her eyes.

"I'm being stupid," she muttered. "You think I'd be used to Harry being the hero by now. I just wish I could be there for him sometimes,"

Ron began to reassure her, at least enough that she was able to smile weakly, but Hermione had stopped listening. She couldn't help feel a slight twinge of annoyance, for Ron's arm wasn't around her, something she had grown very fond of lately…

_Stop it_, she scolded herself. _You're being as ridiculous as- well, you're being stupid_. She glanced over at Ginny and realized with another pang that this must be how she was feeling as well; to want to just be able to hold the hand of someone they cared about, but having to restrain for other reasons.

_You'd think that_ I'd _be used to_ that _now_, _as well_, Hermione's thoughts continued. _There was lots of holding it in this past year…over the past years… _The pang of annoyance stung again at that thought...

"Hermione?" Ginny asked, "Are you still with us?"

"Hmm? Oh, right, yes, sorry," she said quickly. Ron looked at her curiously, but she pretended to take no notice.

As they crossed down the sloping lawns of the grounds, the crowds of people began to grow. The set up was more or less the same as Dumbledore's funeral last year, except that the tomb was a short ways away from where the new memorial was set to stand, glistening brilliantly in the sunlight. They passed it and began to scan the crowd for the rest of the Weasleys.

"There," Ginny said, pointing towards the middle of the vast set-up of chairs spread out on the grass, closer to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Mr. Weasley was standing and motioning them towards a set of four chairs that he was saving for them at the end of the row behind the rest of the family.

"We didn't know if Harry would need one or not," he said as they approached. "But we saved one just in case. I assume he's going to be speaking then?" he asked, seeing that Harry wasn't with them.

"Yes, he is," Hermione said. Mr. Weasley nodded and bent down to pass the message down along the row with the others. They filed over to their seats, Ginny first, followed by Ron and Hermione, leaving the vacant seat on the aisle. They exchanged brief greetings with Lee Jordan, who was sitting by George; Luna and Dean, who were next to Ginny; and Neville and his grandmother behind them.

They all sat, but said very little to each other, aside from the occasional inquiry to the time. Ginny kept turning in her seat, craning her neck, and trying to see if anyone was coming from the castle yet. Ron was staring up at the sky, but his leg was bouncing nervously up and down. Hermione saw this, and reached out and placed her hand on his knee. Far from calming him down however, he jerked in surprise.

"Sorry," Hermione said, snatching her hand away and feeling her face grow warm.

"Oh, no, it's okay," he said, his ears going red as well. "No, I was just sort of lost in thought, that's all; you just surprised me."

He smiled nervously at Hermione, but she only managed to raise a corner of her mouth in response, before she folded her hands tightly in her lap and stared at them.

_Nice one_, Ron groaned inwardly. _Way to screw up again_.

"It's starting," Ginny whispered suddenly, her eyes on the front of the castle. Ron and Hermione looked behind them; coming down the lawns in one long line, seemed to be a lot of glistening shapes, followed by a small crowd of people.

"Ladies and gentleman," the same small wizard who had presided over Dumbledore's funeral the previous year had appeared at the front of the audience, "if you would please stand."

As one, hundreds of pairs of feet took the weight of their owners, some going on tiptoe to see. As the procession came closer to the mourners, they could make out better what they were.

Around two dozen or so coffins supported only by magic were floating down the center aisle through the crowd, at shoulder height. Whether they were made of pure gold or simply created to look that way, they were beautiful, and there were intricate silver patterns and inscriptions decorating the sides and tops. Each one was also topped with a single white rose that seemed to be just as bright as the caskets.

As those went past, next were the families of those who were to be laid to rest out on the grounds. Hermione's stomach gave a lurch as she was able to make out the pale face of Colin Creevey's father. She could only imagine the amount of bravery it took for Mr. Creevey and any other parents of those who were Muggleborn, or even Half-blood, to allow their child to be laid to rest in the world that had ultimately taken them.

She thought of her own parents, what they would have decided to do had she been killed fighting at Hogwarts. Or even if she had died helping Harry to find the Horcruxes. Would they have allowed her to be laid to rest by the friends and family she had here? Or would they have taken her away, ceasing all contact with the Wizarding world forever, as if she had never been a part of it? Tears burned at her eyes at both the thought of how real a possibility that could have been and at the thought of her still abroad parents and she took a deep shaky breath, trying but failing to hold them back.

At the sound, Ron tore his eyes from the caskets and down at Hermione. She was still looking at the final passing family members who were taking the remaining seats in the front few rows. Tears had begun to slide silently down her face, but she was not even attempting to brush them away, as if not acknowledging them made them not there. He wanted so much to reach out and touch her, comfort her, but the combined embarrassment from earlier and the fact that the sight of the funeral procession had left him feeling quite numb prevented him from moving.

Last in the line were the professors, other high ranking Ministry officials, and finally Kingsley Shacklebolt and Harry walking side by side. Harry's eyes were darting all around the crowd, searching, before they finally caught Ginny's. He visibly relaxed and nodded slightly at the rest of the Weasley's and other friends around them, before turning attention back where he was walking; he and the rest of the group were seated on either side of the two rows of caskets, which had settled lightly on the ground in front of the audience.

As soon as Harry took his seat, the rest of the spectators sat as well. The tiny wizard stood again and began to address the crowd, telling of how these brave young men and women had made their final stand in the face of evil. Ron let the words wash over him, hardly taking any of it in. He was feeling restless in his seat again, shifting uncomfortably. It was harder than he realized; sitting at this memorial. It was not as if he didn't respect what was going on, but the fact that in the all too near future he'd be doing this again, for someone closer to him, was getting harder for him to bear.

After a time, the wizard took his seat and each of the Heads of Houses stood in turn to remember those who had been past or present members in their House. Next was Kingsley, and a general feeling of calm rippled through the crowd at the sound of his deep and soothing voice. He too spoke of the heroic stand that those lost had been a part of and that they would all be receiving the Order of Merlin, First Class, for their noble sacrifices. Finally, the time had come and Harry stood and took his spot in front of the caskets and crowd, which went so silent that few seemed to be breathing.

He looked down before him silently, his eyes passing in turn on every coffin. However, he showed no sign of open misery and when he finally looked to the audience, he seemed to stand impressively before them.

"There were many," he began, his voice carrying strongly over the grass, "who helped me in the battle against the Death Eaters and Voldemort." It was a true sign of the enormity of the situation that not a single soul in the crowd flinched at the name.

"Whether they were my closest friends," his eyes flickered over to Ron and Hermione, "my classmates, or someone who I had once passed in the corridors makes no difference. They all fought beside me, they faced evil in its purest form, and made a stand to protect the entire Wizarding world itself. I never asked them to, but they did it, and I will never forget their sacrifices. It is with their help that we can all stand here safe today, and each one who lies before me will never be forgotten."

Harry ended his speech and walked back to his seat. As he had said, it was not too long, but no one could doubt the truth and sincerity in his words.

The small wizard approached the front again, his back to the crowd and facing the caskets. With a slow wave of his wand, each one began to glow brightly, the silver engravings suddenly sliding away and becoming enterwining strings of light in the air. They then began to sink smoothly into the ground; the only thing remaining was the rose that had been left on top. With another wave of the wizard's wand, smooth slabs of white marble rose up through the grass, each with the name and years of life of each person inscribed on them. Now there stood what could be considered a small graveyard, with two rows of white headstones, each marked with the white rose where someone now lay.

The wizard lowered his wand and with a final nod to the crowd, walked away back towards the castle. The people in the crowd sat still for another heartbeat, before people began to slowly move around, some comforting family members, others moving forward to talk to Kingsley or grasp Harry's hand, and still more moving delicately towards the headstones to offer their own flowers or silent words to the dead.

Hermione sighed, glancing around her. Bill was brushing tears from Fleur's delicate face, Ginny was giving Dean a hug, and Lee Jordan was stretching far ahead of him to shake hands with Ernie Macmillan. She looked back up to where Harry was, but she couldn't see him for all the people clustered around him. She then turned to look at Ron, but as she did so, Ron was already on his feet.

"Ron?" she asked him. But without another word, he had squeezed around her and began to walk through the crowd.

"Where's he going?" Ginny asked her worriedly. Hermione couldn't answer.

"Ron?" Hermione called again after him, but he didn't turn back and soon he was lost in the crowd. It reminded her forcibly of a certain night months ago in a rainy forest when she went calling after him and he didn't come back…she bit her lip to keep from crying out again.

"He probably went to go for Harry," Mrs. Weasley said thickly as she stood up in front of them, turning to her family as she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. "There's no point in us all waiting for them out here, we may as well head back to the castle. Does anyone feel hungry? Or perhaps you want to begin packing up for when we leave later this evening…?"

One by one, the other members of the family stood and filed out of their seats, joining the mass of people heading back to the castle.

"C'mon," Ginny said bracingly to Hermione. "Mum's right, Ron just went to go get Harry. He did tell us to try and find him, remember? We may as well go back and wait for them." She took Hermione's arm gently, and Hermione allowed herself to be lead out of the aisle of chairs, glancing desperately over her shoulder for the sight of red hair in the mass of bodies.

Back inside the castle, the family took to separate ways again. Both Percy and Mrs. Weasley wanted to have a quick lie down, Mr. Weasley and Charlie went to go finalize some plans with Professor McGonagall over getting home, and the others decided to stay in the Great Hall with other friends; Lee Jordan and George took to a corner and were talking very quietly to each other. Bill and Fleur decided to go off to try contacting her parents and Ginny and a pale and silent Hermione decided to head back to the common room.

"Be sure to gather your things," Mrs. Weasley called after them. "We'll be leaving soon after dinner."

Once they got in through the portrait hole, they went over to sit at one of the tables usually used for studying. There was a lot more movement in the room as people were gathering their things and leaving the castle right around this time. This turned out to be good for both Ginny and Hermione; they were frequently approached by well-wishers who wanted a final word and kept rising from their seats for friends who came to tell them goodbye and the promises of seeing them soon. At least with these distractions, they could take their minds off the absence of both Harry and Ron.

"It's odd," Ginny noted as they waved Seamus out of the portrait hole. "It feels like we're ending a normal school year. Well," she amended with a glance at Hermione, "at least it does for me. Not that this year was exactly normal, mind you, but still."

Hermione nodded, still not speaking and staring at the table. Ginny winced. "Hermione," she said for what felt like the fiftieth time, "I'm sure they're coming soon. There were so many people, it must've taken ages for Ron to get to – Harry!"

She finished in a relieved shout and Hermione looked up from the table top. Harry had entered the portrait hole at last, with Ron climbing in behind him.

"Sorry," Harry said, walking over to Ginny and hugging her. "There were so many people."

"You were brilliant," Ginny told him, squeezing him tightly.

"No," Harry amended, pulling slightly back. "I was under the influence. Firewhiskey," he added to Ginny's raised eyebrows. "I was a right mess before we came out, if Kingsley wouldn't have had Kreacher bring me some from the kitchen-"

"Think they'll bring us up a bottle if we asked?" Ron said grimly. "I could definitely use some right now." He sat heavily down in the chair across from Hermione, rubbing his eyes weakly.

"Hey, Harry!" a voice called and they looked to see Neville coming towards them, with his grandmother behind him. Harry and Ginny greeted Neville and Mrs. Longbottom, but Ron finally turned to Hermione, who was staring blankly at him.

Ron hesitated for a second and then began softly, "Look, Hermione, about earlier-"

"What happened?" Hermione asked him right out, looking as if she didn't recognize him. "Why did you just take off like that? You didn't even wait for Ginny or for me."

"I'm sorry," he said, staring earnestly back at her. "I just needed something to do. Something I could focus on other than the memorials. And I thought-"

"So you just walked away from me? And didn't even speak to me or tell us where you were going or-"

"I didn't- I'm- after I acted all shifty, I thought you'd be angry with me," he said, reaching out and placing his hand over hers.

"Angry?" she asked him, raising an eyebrow. "Why would that have made me angry?"

"I thought that-"

"You obviously didn't," she snapped suddenly, taking her hand out from under his. She had no idea why she was irritated. But the stress and emotions from the memorial had been hard for all of them; how could Ron think she would've been upset with him when all she wanted was to comfort him? The conversation between Neville and the others fell silent and they looked over at Ron who was looking at Hermione with his mouth half open and Hermione who was now glaring.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione stood up and turned her back on Ron. "I'm sorry," she said slowly to everyone else. "I'm just a bit tired. I'm going to go to bed before dinner." She nodded at Mrs. Longbottom and Neville, and then walked over to the girls' staircase.

"Hermione?" Ron called hopelessly, standing up and watching her retreating figure. For a split second, it looked like she had stopped, but in the next moment she was heading up the stairs.

Ginny looked confusedly between the stairs and Ron before hurrying up after Hermione. Neville and his grandmother seemed to hurry in their goodbyes and left, leaving Harry his chance to round on Ron, who had sat heavily back down in his chair.

"What happened now?" he demanded, clearly annoyed more than concerned.

"What else? I did something stupid. And of course rather than calling me an arse and getting on with it, she takes it much harder than ever. Everything means so much more now because we're trying to be together," Ron said in a furious tone as he came to this realization.

"But what-"

"I was trying so hard not to crack at the memorial, but I ended up hardly even speaking to her," he said ruefully. "All I could think of was that we still have to go through the same thing for Tonks and Lupin and for Fred and –" his voice broke and he shook his head.

"She even tried to calm me down, but I just ended up jumping out of my skin like she had bit me or something," he finished. "And she was just as upset too, but she wasn't letting it bother her, yet I acted like that."

"Ron," Harry began, now with a more understanding tone at Ron's explanation, "it's alright. You just need to learn how to explain to her what's going on with you."

"But that's the thing, isn't it? I can't do that; I'm awful at it. It makes me wonder why-" he stopped again.

"What?"

"It makes me wonder why she's even bothering with me."

"Ron, don't be thick, you know that-" Harry started firmly, but Ron was done listening.

"I'm going back to bed," he said, getting out of the chair. "Wake me up for dinner, yeah?" And with that, he stalked off up the stairs to the dormitory.

Groaning in exasperation, Harry walked over to an armchair and threw himself into it. It wasn't that he thought Ron and Hermione's new relationship was going to be automatic smooth sailing, but he certainly thought it'd be going better than it was.

_Then again_, he reasoned, _these aren't exactly normal conditions_. _After everything that happened this past year, and the battle, and now all these funerals…how are they expected to have enough time to work on this?_

He even felt slightly guilty himself, as not for the first time he realized how much exactly they had gave up for him in the past months. Did that now stretch to include the chance of them building a better basis for a relationship?

Ginny came back down the staircase, glanced to where Harry was sitting, and walked over to him with a scowl on her face. "Those two are so impossible."

"What did Hermione say?"

"Well, I caught her on the stairs and asked her what in the name of Merlin she thought she was doing-"

"And?"

"-and she said," Ginny adopted an irate tone so like Hermione's that it made Harry start, "'I'm walking away from him. Let's see how he likes it for a change.' And she wouldn't say another word to me, even when I called her ridiculous."

"Brilliant," Harry said, scooting over slightly before reaching up and pulling Ginny down next to him in the chair. "What a lovely dinner we're going to have with them back to fighting."

"I don't get it," Ginny said, leaning her head on Harry's shoulder. "They go back and forth so much. I mean, they always have, but you think now that they've snogged, and then with everything you guys went through together, they'd be able to understand what's going on with each other."

"Well, as I've told you," Harry said, running his fingers through Ginny's hair, "it wasn't like we went on holiday. I expect had we not gone on a Horcrux hunt, they'd be better off. Still bickering, mind you, but at least they wouldn't be having such trouble."

"That's no one's fault though," Ginny said, craning her neck to look up at him.

"I know, but all the same. And now, with the added funerals and stuff," he sighed. "Firewhiskey only helps so much. We're all hurting right now, but rather than going to each other for support, they hold things back. Well, Ron does."

Ginny nodded, and then fixed Harry with a look. "Speaking of that…not that I'm not entirely proud of you for what you did today," she kissed him lightly on the cheek, then continued, "but if you think I'll be able to handle Fred's- Fred's funeral without you holding me up, you've got to think again."

Harry held her closer, closing his eyes and breathing her in. "I wouldn't dream of leaving you for that. I'll be there for you, Ginny. Just like always."

"You'd better," she whispered. "Because as I said last night, I'm getting much too attached to you being back with me."

Harry opened his eyes and tilted Ginny's chin up gently to gaze down into her face. "And as I told you, that's good, because I'm going to be around for awhile now."

"Excellent. For it really is time for me to settle down at the ripe old age of sixteen."

"So you can be sure to tell all those other blokes queuing up for a chance at you to clear off."

"As if there's ever been anyone else but you," Ginny said with a laugh, bringing a hand to Harry's face and placing her lips over his.

_

* * *

_**Author's Note:** Despite this being a primarily Ron/Hermione fic, I threw a bit of Harry/Ginny in there at the end for fun...it's a good thing I did too, lol, because if I hadn't, I would've been in trouble with my ever persistent H/G reviewers. ;) And next up is one of my favorite chapters, mostly because it is another focus on Ron/Hermione chapter, before the story picks up a bit faster... 


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** As if I could even get away with claiming to be Jo Rowling. Scholastic and Bloomsbury would probably send out a team of ninjas if I did. Hear that ninjas?! I'm not Jo, so leave me alone!

**Everyday From Right Now  
**_Chapter 6  
_By pacifickay

* * *

It was a while before Harry and Ginny were able to break from talking, among other things, and inquire at what time it was. Checking his watch, Harry discovered that it was getting close to five and dinner was set in another hour. 

"I guess we'd better go get our stuff ready," Ginny said. "Yours shouldn't take long, but I've got a truck to pack."

"Not to mention any amount of extra time it will take to drag Ron and Hermione from the dormitory," Harry replied with a sigh. "D'you think it's even worth going down together again?"

"No idea," Ginny said, getting up, stretching, and combing her now messy hair with her fingers. "And honestly, I think they need to stop being stupid on their own. It builds character."

Harry chuckled and got to his feet as well, straightening his shirt. "Well, how about we meet at half past? With or without our dear friends, we'll go down together."

"As long as Hermione hasn't planned out a way to murder Ron, and I don't need to hold her back, then that sounds good to me," Ginny said happily.

They kissed a final time, or two, and then each of them headed up to the dormitories to gather both their things and their stubborn friends.

* * *

Harry pushed open the door to the dormitory and saw Ron already up and moving around his four-poster. 

"You're awake," Harry said.

"Yeah, well, didn't really sleep," Ron said, folding up some dirty jeans. "Something about the image of Hermione bursting in here to have another go at me kept me on edge for some reason."

He laid the jeans on the bed, next to a few other pieces of clothing that were just as ragged and filthy.

"Is there even a point to keeping these things?" Harry asked, gesturing to his own tattered clothes lying on the floor near his bed and back at Ron's. "We should just chuck them."

"Well," Ron began slowly, "I was sort of thinking I could pretend like I wanted them packed, so I'd have an excuse to try getting Hermione to talk to me."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Or you could always try, I dunno, just sucking it up and doing it without a pathetic excuse."

Ron scowled at him. He looked back down at the clothes for a moment. He then snorted, before picking them all up and striding across the room to dump them in a trash bin.

"Do mine too," Harry said, picking up his things and tossing them over to Ron. The only other things they really had to take with them were their wands and Harry tucked his mokeskin pouch into his pocket.

"Ginny's really the only one who has stuff to pack," Harry said shrugging. "What should we do now?"

"I guess wait in the common room?" Ron sighed, running a hand through his hair. "At least it'd be harder for Hermione to send another batch of canaries or hawks or bloody eagles at my face when we're out among witnesses."

"I honestly don't think she's that mad, Ron."

"Yeah, well, lucky you," he said darkly, heading downstairs with Harry, who was shaking his head behind Ron as he followed.

* * *

Ginny had entered the girls' dormitory to find that Hermione had in fact fallen back asleep, so she instead went back to her own to pack her truck. She purposefully did a sloppy job, in order to have a few spare items to ask Hermione what to do with, in order to get her up and then to get her talking about Ron. 

_I'm all for them being together and I don't mind helping when they act like idiots,_ Ginny thought dispassionately as she climbed back up the stairs to the other dorm, _but I don't think Harry or I can keep doing this everyday._

She walked into the dorm and went over to Hermione's bed. "Hermione?" she whispered "Hermione, it's nearly dinner. Wake up."

Much to Ginny's surprise, Hermione looked up at Ginny right away. "I'm already awake," she said clearly, "I heard you in here earlier."

"Oh. Well," Ginny said simply, trying to carry on, "I can't seem to fit these last items into my truck."

"Here," Hermione said, reaching out and grabbing her endless purse and handing it to Ginny. "Put them in here."

"You know, Harry said this thing held a lot more than your clothes," Ginny remarked as she considered the bag a moment. "What else did you stick in it?"

"Oh, things like a tent, a portrait, and a dozen or so books."

"It's really brilliant, Hermione," Ginny said with a laugh, unzipping the purse. "And what did Harry and Ron think about carrying a sparkling bag with them?"

Hermione shrugged. "It was useful, they didn't complain."

"Not even, Ron?" Ginny asked, trying to keep her voice indifferent and stuffing a pair of shoes, a textbook, and her Quidditch gloves inside.

"Your brother had other things to complain about," Hermione said quietly, remembering the days where wearing a Horcrux would alter their moods to scathing and mean.

Ginny looked up at Hermione, deciding to try dropping the act. "Hermione, you're not really mad at him are you? He can't help it that he's a git sometimes, we all know that."

Hermione sighed. "No, I'm not mad. I just…I don't know. He's always looking out for me, trying to do what's best for me, and I know that. But I just want to be able to help him out too. And sometimes it's like he won't let me."

"Welcome to my world," Ginny snorted, zipping the purse and handing it back to Hermione. "It must be in the fine print of dating a hero."

Hermione's fingers slipped slightly as she took the purse back. She took it tightly in both hands, bringing it to her lap and stared at it instead of Ginny, who hadn't noticed and kept talking.

"Anyway, I'm going to go down to dinner with Harry in a bit. He might bring Ron, if he's awake, but I'm not sure. So, do you want us to wait for you? Hermione?" Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Hermione, you alright?"

"Yes," Hermione said quietly. "I'm fine. You guys can all just go down without me. I'll meet you in the Great Hall."

"Are you-?"

"It's alright, Ginny, really," Hermione said, trying to sound convincing. "I just need to, um, get ready is all," and she opened up her purse again and pretended to look around inside.

"Alright," Ginny said slowly, walking towards the door. "We'll see you in a half hour then."

Hermione waved without looking up until the door clicked shut. Only then did she zip her bag shut again, get to her feet, and move toward one of the windows. Looking out on the grounds she could see both Dumbledore's tomb and the new memorials glistening in the slowly setting sun. It felt like a lifetime away, when in reality it was only hours earlier. And it felt like even longer since the last time she and Ron had been on good terms; since the last time she had held his hand or when his lips touched hers.

She brushed impatiently at the wetness in her eyes. She couldn't understand why she had gotten so upset with Ron earlier. Perhaps it was simply the fact that she had felt like he didn't need her; that he could walk away from her without a second thought. Even as she thought it, she knew it couldn't be true, and then the words that she and Ginny had exchanged echoed back to her.

_…I just want to be able to help him out too. And sometimes it's like he won't let me…Welcome to my world…It must be in the fine print of dating a hero._

Sighing, Hermione remembered how Ron couldn't sit still at the memorial, his eyes darting around continuously as if looking for an escape. She hadn't even thought that it was an even harder thing to do for him, seeing as in a few days, they'd be doing the same for Fred. And despite how often he tried to stay strong, Hermione knew quite well that things like that affected Ron a lot deeper than people first thought.

With a sudden realization, Hermione found what was wrong. She wasn't upset that Ron hadn't comforted her. She was upset that he hadn't let her comfort him in return. He had done so much over the past year, for so long, and so much of it to protect her. Yet, when it came to be her turn, he tried to act strong so she wouldn't have to; again for what he thought was best for her.

"He's so stupid," she smiled sadly, again wiping at her eyes. "He's definitely going to get it."

At that thought, Hermione turned quickly and rushed to grab her purse from the bed to take later. She had full intention of running down to the Great Hall, grabbing Ron, and forcing him to see that she could be allowed to be his source of comfort once and awhile.

She was almost to the door when she heard a loud crash outside it, stopping her nervously in her tracks. For a second it was silent, and then the bumping started again, staggered, as if someone was struggling up the stairs.

Panic flooded Hermione has she dropped her purse, plunged her hand into her pocket, and drew her wand, pointing it steadily at the door. Her mind began whirling hopelessly; she hadn't heard any other commotion downstairs, what had brought someone up the staircase? And why were they moving so clumsily? Were they injured? Fear settled in her stomach at the thought.

There was suddenly the loudest bang against the walls, causing her to jump, but she could still hear a voice from the stairs.

"Damn it – alright, a few more – okay – oof! – there –"

Hermione frowned. There was no way…Another thump.

"Urgh- this is- wait - Oh, bloody hell – Hermione! Hermione, please come out!"

"Ron?" Hermione whispered, before hastily shoving her wand away and crossed the rest of the way to the door and flinging it open. "Ron? Ron, what are you doing?!" she finished in a shocked yell.

It was common knowledge, that when a boy set foot onto the girls' staircase, the steps would easily meld together and form a smooth slide, making it almost impossible to go up. In fact, Ron had discovered this for himself a few years back, when he had attempted it and only made it a few steps before falling back down. So it was with mingled shock and amazement that Hermione found herself looking down at Ron, who had both hands and feet pressed awkwardly against the opposing walls of the slide, making a painstaking effort to reach her dorm.

"You know, it's a lot easier walking up slides when you're small," he said shaking his ruffled hair from his eyes and gazing up at her from several feet down.

"What in the name of Merlin-?" she began, but faltered as confusion over what he was doing and the utter desire to laugh caught up with her.

"I've come to get you for dinner," Ron said, quite calm for someone who was currently straddling a slide and red in the face from the effort.

Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Couldn't you have just waited in the common room like a normal person?"

"Well, to be honest, I wasn't sure if you were going to come down if I was there. Look," he said wincing and one of his hand slipping slightly. "D'you think you could, I don't know, put the stairs back or something?"

Here, Hermione could no longer help it. "I can't," she said, giggling. "They change back on their own. Though I must say, if you managed to outsmart them this far, you can for a little longer."

Glaring at her, Ron continued his odd ascent up the final length to the dorm. He slid and swore a few more times, but managed to prop himself in front of Hermione, his head a foot below hers.

"Now," he huffed, "care to invite me in?"

"You climbed a slide for me," she said simply, grinning ear to ear. And even while Ron was glad to see her smiling at him again, the fact that he was very uncomfortable was a more pressing matter.

"Don't get used to it," he snapped, and Hermione snickered again. "So, can I get some help or you going to leave me here?"

Still laughing quietly, Hermione took a step forward and, after bracing herself against the door frame extended a hand to Ron.

"One…two…three," Ron counted, hoisting himself forward, with Hermione pulling his hand. At first, it looked like Ron was going to make it without incident. But just as he was about to set one foot into the room, the one still braced against the side of the chute slipped. He wobbled back for a brief second, and he was about to shout a warning to Hermione, who hadn't noticed anything, but then she tugged harder on his arm, and he pitched head first into the room.

In a burst of two cries of surprise and flailing limbs, both Ron and Hermione fell back into the room; Hermione crashed to the floor and, after pulling him with her, Ron landed next to her, his limbs sprawled everywhere.

"Hermione! Hermione, are you alright? Did I hurt you?" Ron panicked, scrambling around on hands and knees to look at her.

To his utter amazement, Hermione was laughing despite still being on the ground, her hair crazed around her face, her eyes closed. "The next time you need help," she gasped out, "can't it be more along the lines of just offering you advice?"

Ron laughed as well, reaching out and sweeping her hair out of her face. Hermione's laughter softened and she opened her eyes. Just as he had last night, rather than allowing the old traditions of silent treatment to come between them, Ron had taken the initiative and did whatever it took to talk to her, no matter how ridiculous they seemed. It was something that he had never really had to nerve to do before, and now that he was, Hermione was deciding that she liked it a lot.

"Listen, Hermione," Ron said seriously, his eyes looking into hers with such intensity that she had to keep from blinking too much, "I know that you and I are going to be rowing with each other forever, but I don't want things to get out of hand."

He had stopped brushing her hair away from her face, and instead had rested his hand softly against her neck. "I mean, at least when we're yelling at each other, I can see you, you know. And sometimes I'm even brave enough to fight back. Whereas when we walk out on each other…well, I guess you can still do that to me, but I learned from my mistakes," he said earnestly. "I can't walk away from you. Ever again."

"Ron," Hermione said softly, reaching up from the floor to hold on to one of his arms. "I'm not mad at you. I just want you to know that you don't always have to be so strong. You're one of the bravest people I know, you don't have to prove it."

Ron was looking at her as if he couldn't believe what she was saying as she went on. "I knew you were hurting earlier, and when I couldn't help you, I don't know, I got frustrated about it. Because I want to do that for you too. I want to be there for you just as much as you're there for me."

"You already are," Ron whispered. "I couldn't have gotten through a lot of things over the years without you. And you're here now," he added, "with me. That's all I've ever wanted."

Hermione smiled at him. "I'm here," she confirmed. "I always will be. I don't mind being the hero for _you_ once and awhile, you know."

They gazed at each other for several heartbeats, letting each others words sink in. In the back of her mind, Hermione thought that this would be a rather odd scene for someone to walk in on: Ron still on his hands and knees beside her, looking tenderly into her face, and her still lying on the floor, staring right back at him.

"Hermione?" Ron said gently, his fingers grazing the skin of her neck again.

"Yes, Ron?"

"Would you like to get up from the floor before I kiss you, or can you wait?"

And with the same confidence that Ron had discovered in himself, Hermione found it inside her as well; she grabbed Ron by the front of his shirt and pulled him down to her, kissing him just as fiercely as she had done several nights earlier.

Ron's ears went pink as he struggled between everything he was feeling as he kissed Hermione back and the knowledge that she was still on the hard floor. He didn't want to crush her, but that was going to become difficult if she continued to kiss him in this way; it was fogging his senses and he felt ready to collapse on top of her.

Moving very slowly, for he was quite reluctant to part from her lips, Ron began to lean back, shifting his knees so that he was kneeling better on them. Hermione followed him up, and he was able to slide his other hand around her shoulders, pulling her into a sitting position. Her grip tightened on his shirt and her other hand grasped him by the shoulder. It was hard to tell who was supporting who now.

After a few more moments, they broke apart; each of them breathing heavily and blue and brown were gazing hungrily at each other with the same intensity.

"This," Ron said in a dazed voice, "is much better than the silent treatment. Let's decide right now to always end our fights like this."

Hermione rolled her eyes, but was still smiling. "Typical. It's never 'let's decide to not fight,' but rather 'let's always be sure to make up by kissing a lot.'"

"A lot?" Ron grinned. "'Cause if that's true, we've only done a few, and we've still got some time before dinner."

"Not much."

"Enough," he insisted.

"Ron!" Hermione half-laughed, half-scolded, brushing his hair gently from his eyes.

"Fine," he said, releasing her and clambering to his feet. "But that means you owe me."

"You are unbelievable," she said, taking the hand he then offered her and standing up. "Honestly."

"Hey, that's a fair statement actually," he reasoned seriously. "After all the times we've messed up, we really owe each other lots of time."

"True, but that would still mean that I owe you a lot more, seeing as you keep pulling sneak attacks on me."

"I do?" Ron asked, mildly surprised. "Really?"

"More than you know," she said with a pleasurable flush. "Last night for instance."

He grinned again, his eyes sparkling as he looked down at her. "I just can't see you pulling something like that."

"I suppose you're right," she said with a shrug. "Now come on, we'd better head down to the Great Hall," she moved over and picked up her bag from where she had dropped it earlier. She headed to the door, with Ron behind her, before she stopped suddenly.

"Forget something?" Ron asked her curiously.

"I have one last thing to do," she said.

And before he could blink, Hermione had whirled around and, taking Ron by the shoulders, pushed him back up against the wall. Standing on tiptoe, she then placed her hands firmly on either side of his face and kissed him so hard that he nearly smacked his head against the stone behind him. He could hardly believe this was actually happening, and with Hermione, that when she opened her mouth slightly against his, he literally felt himself slide an inch down the wall.

She pulled away, and seeing the look on his face, gave a satisfied nod.

"You should know by now, Ronald," she said sweetly, bringing her hands from his face and running them lightly down over his chest; he could barely hold back his soft whimper, "that I can do just about anything I put my mind to. And that doesn't just mean spellwork."

Ron's jaw fell open as she smirked at him a final time before walking out and sliding neatly down the slide still outside the door. He seemed to have lost the feeling in his legs as he kept a hand on the wall to steady himself. Stumbling slightly over to the door, he sat heavily on the ground and shook his head, a slow and very pleased grin spreading across his face.

"Blimey, she's amazing," he said to himself, making up his mind then and there to always allow Hermione to do whatever she damn well put her mind to, especially if it included sneak attacks that made him feel like the happiest man alive.

* * *

**Author's Note:** As you can see, Hermione certainly "returned the favor"! Lol. And this was your second dose of pure Ron/Hermione…but it is most definitely not the last. ;) This story is oh-so-very far from being over! I hope you keep with it, because believe me, I am just getting started. :D


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** Jo is rich. I am not. By the transitive property, this means that I get nothing out of playing in her world, because it's not mine. The reviews from this do belong to me though. And they're awesome. :)

**Everyday From Right Now  
**_Chapter 7  
_By pacifickay

* * *

After sliding down to the common room, Ron hurried to catch up with Hermione, and together they went through the portrait hole. The images of what had just happened in the dorm were having a profound effect on Ron, who could not stop grinning. Hermione, too, had a light smile on her face, half embarrassed and half proud that she had found that much confidence in herself to have done that, and with Ron of all people. 

They reached the Great Hall and entered to find the rest of the Weasley's and Harry back at the same place they had eaten earlier. Harry and Ginny were sitting across from each other, heads together and speaking quietly. As Ron and Hermione approached, Ginny glanced up and smiled, nudging Harry as they joined them.

"I'm impressed," she commented as they sat down next to each other with Ron placing his hand over Hermione's. "I thought for sure you two would be joining us late, but you're right on time." No sooner had she said it, did the golden plates in front of them fill with food from the kitchens.

Ron and Hermione looked sideways at each other, smiling for a moment before glancing away, the same pleased color of pink touching their cheeks.

Harry raised an eyebrow at Ginny. "Maybe we should have an argument, too," he suggested.

"What, and look like love-sick fools, like these two? I'll pass," Ginny grinned, leaning over to smack Harry on the arm.

"There you two are," Mrs. Weasley called down at Ron and Hermione from around Charlie and Percy. "All packed?"

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said.

"Excellent. We'll be leaving right after we're all finished; it's all arranged with Professor McGonagall. And we'll just have to sort out where you are all sleeping when we get home..."

Mrs. Weasley's eyes flickered briefly over Ron's hand covering Hermione's, then over to Harry and Ginny, who were laughing over a private joke, and she blinked in a slightly puzzled way. It did not go unnoticed by Ron, who clenched convulsively on Hermione's fingers, before he slowly and reluctantly pulled his hand away.

But just as soon as it happened, the look was gone, and Mrs. Weasley smiled at them all again. "…but I'm sure it will be among the same arrangements," she said, before turning to talk to Fleur about how her parents were.

"What's wrong?" Hermione whispered to Ron, already missing the feel of his skin against hers.

In the pretense of leaning over her to grab the mashed potatoes, Ron muttered in her ear. "I'm not too sure if Mum has noticed how much exactly our- er -relationship has changed this past year." It felt slightly odd, acknowledging the word out loud, but he shook off the feeling. "Harry and Ginny's either. She definitely hasn't heard about Ginny bunking with Harry the other night or Ginny would be eating outside."

"Oh," Hermione said, understanding. It was true that anything Mrs. Weasley may or may not have guessed about the surrounding teenagers would indeed be slightly behind in the times, seeing as three of them had been absent for the past year.

"Don't worry," Ron assured her, passing her a dish of cranberry sauce, using it as a way to softly brush his fingers against hers. "My Mum isn't clueless. I'm sure she suspects a lot of things, especially about them two," he said, nodding at Harry and Ginny. "But as for you and me…" he trailed off with a shrug.

Hermione nodded, picking thoughtfully at her plate. Even before they had left with Harry after the wedding, there had been a definite shift in the way they acted around each other that couldn't have gone completely unnoticed. Could Mrs. Weasley have seen the difference before they left? Could she tell the difference now when the only thing they had done in front of her was perhaps hold hands? How in tune exactly was Mrs. Weasley about her youngest son? Or even the rest of the family for that matter?

Hermione glanced at each of the Weasley's, wondering vaguely what they would think. Although, she realized as she looked at George, who wasn't eating, she did already know what one of them thought about her and Ron being together. George seemed to think it was alright, surely the rest would feel the same? Especially after what Charlie had said earlier about her being like family…

"You alright?" Ron whispered in her ear again. "You're a little quiet. You don't have to worry about anything my Mum might say to us. That's my job," he smiled, but even as he said it, he knew he was admitting a truth.

She shook her head. "I'm fine," she whispered back, looking up at him. "Just thinking about things is all."

"Hermione Granger, thinking," Ron said in mock surprise. "I would never believe it."

"Oh, be quiet," she said, smiling back at him, relaxing slightly as he returned it with his crooked grin.

Ron glanced back up the table. Seeing that Mrs. Weasley was in deep argument with the length of Bill and Charlie's hair, he then leaned over quickly and kissed Hermione on the cheek.

"How long do you think you two will stay at the Burrow?" Ginny asked of Harry and Hermione, before Hermione could react to what Ron had just done. "I mean, there's Fred's- well, yeah – and then Tonks and Lupin –" she faltered a second time, before sighing. "You know what I mean," she conceded.

"Awhile, I suppose," Harry said, his brow furrowing slightly. "I mean, if it gets too crowded, I guess me and Hermione could go stay at Grimmauld Place, I don't think there will be many Death Eaters around now…wow, that's weird to say," he said, smiling awkwardly before taking another bite of food.

Ron looked at Hermione curiously. He suddenly realized that he hadn't given this much thought. Truth be told, he had grown so used to Harry and Hermione being around, that he naturally assumed they'd be there for some time. And now that he and Hermione were…well, he suddenly had much more of a reason to not want her visit to be short.

"We'll of course stay for, you know, everything," Hermione said, following Ginny's lead in skipping the actual words. "But, to be honest, I would like to go get my parents and –"

"Are you four finished?" Mr. Weasley said, and they all jumped to look up. The others were looking over at them. "Or would you like to stay for dessert as well?"

"We're finished, I guess," Harry said, looking at Ginny and Hermione who nodded.

"Let's go home," Ginny said, standing up first. The others nodded in agreement, a general feeling of relief washing over them.

Hermione folded up her napkin, and then looked over at Ron, who was still staring at her with an unreadable look on his face.

"What?" she asked him.

"Nothing," he said, getting up. "Just thinking of things...later," he amended quickly as Hermione opened her mouth. "Really, Hermione, I'm not hiding anything. We can talk later."

Slightly reluctantly, Hermione nodded, getting to her feet as well. Many voices from around the Hall shouted farewells as they saw Harry leaving, and they were actually held up by a gratefully admiring crowd for ten minutes in the Entrance Hall, before Professor McGonagall came hurrying over to rescue them.

"Off you go," she said, shooing away the eager faces. "Let them through please. So sorry, Arthur – Molly – I'll take you all to my office then."

"Thank you, Minerva."

They all followed Professor McGonagall to her office, where Ginny's trunk already stood packed and waiting. Taking a tin from the mantle over the fireplace, Professor McGonagall tossed a handful in, standing back so the Floo Powder would take them all home.

There was another delay in the proceedings as each Weasley took a few moments to say goodbye to Professor McGonagall. She finally reached Harry, and giving him one of her rare smiles, she clasped his hand firmly in one of her own, the other gently on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Harry," she said sincerely. "I take back my earlier reprimand about how you handled Carrow."

Harry smiled back at her. "It was really no trouble, Professor."

"I'll most likely be in touch with you three," she added, looking also at Ron and Hermione. "Considering that the only reason you left Hogwarts was to defeat evil and save the Wizarding world, I'm sure we can work something out about finalizing your education."

Hermione's eyes lit up happily. "Do you mean we could take our N.E.W.T's, Professor?" Ron rolled his eyes. McGonagall saw and she smiled at him as well, which caught Ron slightly by surprise, but he returned it.

"We'll be able to work out something suitable for each of you, I'm sure." Professor McGonagall said.

"Oh, Minerva-" Mrs. Weasley began gratefully, but Professor McGonagall held up a hand to silence her.

"It's really no trouble Molly. It's just a matter of talking to the school governors…or perhaps our new Minister if I have to."

They all grinned at the thought of Kingsley Shacklebolt making the decision about whether or not they deserved any qualifications.

"Well," Mr. Weasley said, shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, "thank you again, Minerva, for…for everything," his voice was slightly strained at the end. McGonagall nodded.

"Off you go," she said, sweeping them closer to the fireplace.

One by one, they each began to step into the fireplace and zoomed off. Harry and Ron hoisted in Ginny's trunk with her, and after they went first, Hermione stepped up into the flames, getting a final look at Professor McGonagall's office before feeling herself being whipped to the Burrow.

* * *

Stepping out of the Weasley's fireplace, Hermione felt the feeling of comfort wash over her. Seeing the familiar walls and even the pieces of furniture was enough to calm even the thoughts that she was still anxious about. She moved aside to let Percy come after her, heading directly for Ron, who greeted her with an arm around her shoulder. Mr. Weasley was the last to arrive, the fire going out behind him. They were home. 

"Now, to figure out where we are all going to stay," Mrs. Weasley flustered about. Ginny glanced at Harry and winked, but no one else saw it.

"I theenk it may be best, if Bill and I go 'ome," Fleur spoke up softly. "Zat way everyone will be comfortable."

"I can stay with Percy in his room," Charlie offered as Percy nodded.

"Ron and Harry can still bunk together and Hermione can stay with me, as usual," Ginny said.

"George?" Ron asked, the unspoken question hanging thickly in the air. There would be one less occupied space at the Burrow now. George gave a funny jerk, but shrugged.

"I'll be okay," he muttered. No one seemed convinced, but no one seemed to want to push the subject.

"We'll come back tomorrow," Bill said, kissing his mother. "Soon as we wake up." Fleur nodded, waving at everyone as they headed through the kitchen and out the back door. Two faint cracks were heard seconds later as they disapperated.

"Well, it still is a bit early," Mr. Weasley said, shuffling his feet, "but should we all just turn in?"

"I'm actually not too tired, to be honest," Charlie shrugged. Ginny, Percy and Ron nodded.

"Well, I think I'm going to go to bed," Mrs. Weasley said. "Don't you lot stay up too late, alright?"

They agreed as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went up to bed. The rest of them glanced nervously around each other, trying to decide what to do.

"Does anyone want any coffee?" Percy asked. Grateful for a plan of action, they trooped into the kitchen and clustered around the table. Ginny, however, sat herself on Harry's lap.

"You're lucky Mum went to bed," Percy told her, raising an eyebrow at the sight as he brought the pot of coffee to the table as Charlie summoned over mugs.

"You get used to it," Ron told him.

"Still weird," Charlie said, grinning. "Seeing my little sister with someone. Glad it's you though, Harry."

"Cheers," Harry smiled at him, taking a drink of his coffee.

"I don't think Mum really knows yet though," Ginny commented.

"Which is a bit sad," George said evenly, making the others glance at him.

"How so?" Ron asked.

George gestured at them. "She's sitting on his lap, Ron. It's quite obvious. And the only one who should be that clueless around here when it comes to relationships is you."

Everyone laughed, even Ron. The fact that George was making small attempts at jokes was lightening the air considerably.

"I don't know," Charlie said, a slow smile spreading on his face as he glanced at Hermione. "Little Ronnie may be getting better than we are lead to believe." Hermione smiled back at him.

Percy shook his head. "That's the last time I take off. I've missed everything."

"Only the gory details," Harry assured him.

"What details?" Ginny asked him. "We've only just gotten back together after a year apart, how complicated is that?"

"You're right. The fact that I was off fighting Voldemort isn't really that big of a deal."

"Just a footnote, Harry, really," Ron chuckled.

They continued on, talking and laughing at each other's jokes. They spent a good half hour assuring Percy that he had only just begun to repay them for his behavior over the past years, which he took in stride. Ginny told them a bit about how she and their friends had coped with the harsh regime at Hogwarts and they enjoyed hearing about how Neville had stepped up into the role of leader. Charlie assured Harry, Ron, and Hermione that despite skipping their last year at school McGonagall would make sure they were alright.

"Besides," George added, "we never finished our last year and we turned out alright with the joke shop." His use of 'we' was understood, but following George's lead, the others merely agreed with him, rather than get consumed by the air of loss again.

They continued on in this fashion for sometime. Charlie and Ginny even pleaded with Harry, Ron, and Hermione to tell them a little bit about what they had done the past year. After an exchange of wary looks between the three of them, Harry settled on the escape from Gringotts, leaving out details about the Horcrux. Listening to Harry talk, Hermione scooted closer to Ron, leaning over and resting her head on his shoulder. Without missing a beat, Ron put an arm around her shoulders and pressed his cheek into her hair.

"You have to tell this story to Bill," Percy said, the first of the others to break the stunned silence when Harry finished. "He'll never believe it."

"Would you believe us if we said we broke into the Ministry?" Hermione asked him.

"That really was you three!? I thought they were just pinning it on you!" And thus another story began.

Finally, at about half past ten, Percy yawned. "I'm exhausted. I think I'm going to go to sleep."

"Me too," Charlie said, getting up and stretching. He eyed Ginny for a second then spoke up, "And _you_ had better sleep in your own bed tonight."

"That's none of your business," Ginny said coolly, wrapping her arms tighter around Harry's neck. Charlie looked at him next, and Harry raised his hands in a calming way.

"She will, Charlie, don't worry."

Charlie nodded at him and gave Ginny a final look. "Alright, goodnight you guys," he said, as he and Percy left the kitchen.

"Mum will hit the roof, Ginny," George cautioned her, getting up as well. "Don't push your luck."

"Why is it," she huffed, "that everyone expects me to act like some wild and randy girl? I'm not like that."

"No, but you are a sack of raging hormones," George said. "And it's best that your brothers don't end up disemboweling the bloke who just saved the world, simply because we find him messing with our sister. Fair warning, Harry; sorry, mate." He added with a smile.

Ron and Hermione laughed, and even Harry grinned. "I've got her under control, George," he assured him. George waved goodnight and left as well.

"'_Under control_,'" Ginny snorted, "honestly!"

"We may as well go up too," Hermione said, and the others nodded, or in Ginny's case scowled.

When they reached the door of Ginny's room, she grabbed Harry and pulled him inside, telling Ron and Hermione to hold on a second.

"She's barking mad," Ron said, amazed, as the door snapped firmly shut.

"Well, she hasn't really had time with Harry, to be honest," Hermione said, half thoughtfully, half amused. "She's had a lot to think about this past year and now that he's back…" she trailed off.

"Yeah," Ron said, "but still. We didn't exactly have a whole year either and we're not – well- you know," he finished awkwardly.

Hermione wasn't sure what to say to that, but was spared the trouble as Ginny's door opened again and Harry came out, both with satisfied smiles.

"I'll see you in the morning," Ron told Hermione, grabbing her hand and bending down to kiss her lightly on the cheek. Hermione held his face for a second, returning it with her own kiss as well, before he straightened up.

"'Night, Ginny. I'd better not see you in our room in the morning."

Ginny ignored him. But Harry laughed. "See you two later," he said, giving the girls a wave as he and Ron headed up to Ron's room.

"Later, as in, as soon as the rest of you are asleep," Ginny told Hermione simply as she shut the door behind them.

"Ginny!" Hermione scolded, though she was highly amused. "What if your parents caught you-"

"Hermione, this is only, what, the second day that I have Harry back? And I have a year to make up for? I'm wasting time sleeping," she reasoned, grabbing some spare pajamas and tossing them over to Hermione.

Ginny sighed, suddenly going serious. "You know how it was when we broke up after Dumbledore's funeral. It was really rough. And worse this past year. I mean, with you three gone…not knowing if I was ever going to see you guys again…see him again…I was frightened every day."

Hermione finished changing and looked over at Ginny. She had never been the type of girl who got too emotional, usually staying strong and confident, but now her voice was smaller, as she voiced the fears she had been holding in for so long.

"Have you told Harry this?"

"'Course I have, first night," Ginny said, blinking rapidly. "Doesn't make it easier though. Sure, You-Know-Who is gone, but what if something else happens? What if some crazed Death Eater comes back? Then what?"

Hermione crossed the room and brought Ginny into a hug. "Then we'll meet it," she said softly. "Just like we did this past year."

"Just don't leave me out again, alright?" Ginny said, hugging her back. "I wasn't only terrified that something would happen to you guys, I missed you all so much. I missed you a lot, Hermione. And Ron and Harry too."

"I know. I missed you too. We all did."

They broke away after a few moments, smiling gratefully at each other. Then Ginny chuckled, "I know I'm acting very up front with Harry, but honestly, I can hardly help it. It's been so long."

Hermione laughed. "Well, still. I've got a few years to make up myself, but you don't see me sneaking to your brother's room."

"Oh, but it'd be so _easy_." Ginny said excitedly. "Listen, you go tell Harry to come here and then you and Ron can-"

"_Ginny!_"

"Alright, alright, fine…"

* * *

**Author's Note:** I confess, lol. I needed another good transitional chapter to lay out some more plot points. But after this, the next handful chapters are slightly longer and more straight forward. And the next chapter is fully loaded with some good ol' Ron/Hermione stuff, which ought to satisfy!


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** The only benefit I am reaping from playing with Jo Rowling's toys is that I can now make Ron and Hermione kiss as much as I damn well please! ;)

**Everyday From Right Now  
**_Chapter 8  
_By pacifickay

* * *

Two restless hours later, Hermione was wishing that she had taken Ginny's offer of swapping rooms with Harry. At least it would've given her something to do. She felt tired, but couldn't seem to fall asleep with all the thoughts still buzzing in her head. But Ginny had fallen asleep quickly, her breathing slow and deep next to Hermione, who was on the camp bed she had slept on so many times before.

It was an odd feeling, both daunting and familiar. It was still the Burrow, she was still with the Weasley's, but the sense of loss was ever present. She thought of how different it had been, to see George sitting with them in the kitchen, cracking less jokes and smiles than usual, the absence of his twin staring them all in the face. Even when it was similar to all the nights of summer she had stayed previously in this house, the fact that this was after a war and after so long was glaringly obvious.

Sighing, she kicked off her blankets and sat on the edge of the bed. It was a warm night; she was thankful that Ginny had lent her the t-shirt and shorts. She decided to go down to make herself some tea to relax and then try sleeping again. Creeping silently so as not to wake Ginny, she crossed the room and went out onto the landing, taking the steps slowly so they would not creak.

Hermione reached the bottom of the stairs and started heading for the kitchen, before pausing. There was a faint glow coming from the room and she could already smell the light scent of tea wafting in the air. Someone else had obviously had the same idea. At first Hermione wasn't sure if it was company she was looking for, but then there was a familiar click and the light in the kitchen went out at once. After a few seconds, the click sounded again and light returned. There was no way she was going back to bed now.

"It's a wonder you don't wear that out," she told Ron softly, peaking around the corner. Ron was standing by the stove in a faded shirt and some old pajama pants, leaning against the counter as the tea pot steamed softly next to him. He jumped slightly as he heard her speak, but relaxed instantly when he saw who it was.

"Just a habit, I guess," he said shrugging, as there was another click, the burner from the stove now the only light in the kitchen. "What're you doing up?" his dark silhouette asked her.

"Too much on my mind, I think," she replied, moving over to one of the cabinets and pulling out two teacups.

A final click revealed Ron nodding as he slid the Deluminater his pocket. "Me too," he said, quickly removing the kettle from the flame as it began to whistle softly.

Hermione set the cups on the table and Ron filled them with tea as Hermione sat down. He replaced the kettle on the stove and went back to sit at the table with her. They were sitting directly across from each other, the single light from a kitchen lamp putting them in a warm and comforting glow. They didn't say much at first, each taking a sip of their drink, glancing around the kitchen and smiling at each other whenever they caught each others eye.

"Funny, isn't it?" Ron spoke up after another minute. "Being back? I mean, really back. Having it all over?"

"I was sort of thinking the same thing. It all feels so familiar, because some of it is. But at the same time, there's something…not missing, really…but just something different about it."

Ron nodded, fingering the rim of his cup. "It's sort of like us," he said abruptly. Hermione looked at him in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're still Hermione. I'm still Ron. We're both here together, just like we have been hundreds of times before. But," his gaze met hers, "at the same time, it's different."

"Do you not want things to change between us?" she questioned him.

Ron snorted at the suggestion. "As if they could ever go back to the way it was after few nights ago, or this afternoon," he added, finishing his drink.

Hermione smirked. "Didn't see that coming from me, did you Ronald?"

Ron raised an eyebrow at her over his cup. "Hermione," he said when he set the cup back down, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, "I very rarely see what's coming from you. You surprise me all the time."

"I do?" she asked, honestly curious.

"How can you not know that? You're our resident genius, remember?"

"Tell me," she said, setting her cup down and scooting in closer to the table, before reaching out and placing her hand on his.

Ron looked at her a moment, before smiling. "I guess we haven't really had this discussion yet, have we?"

Hermione shook her head. It was true; while their kisses may have spoken volumes and their conversations with each other from the past few days hinted at more underneath, they still had not fully had any conversation about the two of them; about what they had always been, what they were now, about what they were going to be.

"Well, you know I'm still getting used to this whole talking thing, but since I started it…" Ron said with a shrug, scooting in closer as well. He fell quiet, but Hermione knew it was more because he was trying to find the words. She waited patiently.

"For starters," Ron began, taking her hand in both of his, his thumbs grazing her knuckles softly, "you surprised me the first day I met you. I couldn't believe anyone could be so bloody annoying."

"Hey!" Hermione cried, but she laughed. "I was sort of annoying, wasn't I?" she admitted sheepishly.

"The worst," Ron grinned at her. "Especially that day in Flitwick's class. I'm sorry I made you cry afterwards, by the way."

It was true, but he didn't need to know that. "I did not-"

"That was why I was so amazed when you covered for me and Harry with the troll," he went on, not listening. "We were jerks to you, but you still covered for us."

"I didn't think you two would have willingly come to save the little know-it-all. I was thanking you for it."

"Then just like that, we were all friends. That surprised me too. The way we all came together that way. Especially you and me," he smiled up at her again, holding her hand tight. "We're practically opposites, but I don't know, it just felt like I couldn't not be your friend."

He looked down at their hands again before continuing. "You never stopped with being so brilliant either. Second year, making the Polyjuice potion and third year with that time-turner and your mental cat; which I should've just let eat that filthy rat Wormtail," he glared darkly. "Would've done us all a favor."

"I thought you were never going to speak to me again after that fight," Hermione remembered, trying hastily to get off the subject of Pettigrew. "I was so happy when you said you would help me with Buckbeak's case. And the look on your face when I hugged you," she snickered.

Ron's cold glare cleared at once as he chuckled. "Another surprise," he said simply. "We were supposed to be fighting, but then we made up so easily. I suppose that carried on to now as well." They both flushed slightly, but kept on topic.

"I think one of the bigger ones though," he admitted slowly, "was in the fourth year. The entire Yule Ball fiasco."

"Yes, that was a big night for us," Hermione said, the ancient echoes of their fight ringing through her mind. "What with my 'fraternizing with the enemy' and you –"

"Not asking you to the ball, even though I wanted to," Ron finished, looking up at Hermione, who had fallen silent.

"You…you did?" she asked, taken aback. "I thought that you only wanted to go with someone good looking and not –"

"I did," Ron said, raising an eyebrow at her. "But the best looking girl I could think of was already going with someone else, and she wouldn't tell me who it was, so I couldn't even go break his arm."

"As if you could have broken- wait-" Hermione said, her eyes widening as she comprehended what he was saying. "You thought I was good looking?"

"I still do," Ron said shrugging, "you still are. You _are_," he insisted, running his hands up to her wrist and back again as she opened her mouth to protest. "And it's no use trying to talk me out of it. I made up my mind a long time ago."

Hermione blushed spectacularly and looked instead at their hands. "I didn't think you would ever see me like that," she whispered, admitting one of her deeper fears. "I thought that I was just going to be your bushy haired friend forever, never as pretty as the other girls. I didn't think you were even considering me as a possible date, but I kept hoping. Then when I started getting asked and I kept turning them away and–"

"Hold it," Ron said sharply, the smile he had been fixing her with vanishing at once, his hands frozen stiff on hers. "What do you mean, 'them'?"

Hermione looked up with a little scowl, but said in a gentle tone, "Viktor was the one I said 'yes' to. But he wasn't the first to ask me."

"Who?" Ron all but demanded. "Outside of Neville, I mean, I know about that one. I want names."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Does it really matter now, Ron?"

"Yes," Ron insisted. "What if they try to come back and steal you away from me? I need to know my competition. Depending on who they are, I can start planning my best forms of attack and –"

Hermione reached out with the hand that Ron didn't already have and placed it over his mouth. Even with that pleasurable feeling that had filled her when he had expressed his concern over losing her, even to faceless people of the past, she knew that it was better to stop this now before he got too loud and woke up the entire house.

"This," she said calmly, "is exactly what shocked _me_ so much that night. I could not for the life of me understand how come you got so upset with Viktor. You were livid, and in a way, I thought I knew why. But I wasn't sure if you were being protective and jealous as a friend, or because you saw me as something else."

Ron reached up and took her hand in his, bringing it down with the others. "I thought you had caught me," he admitted. "When you yelled at me that I should have asked you, I was shocked because if anything, I thought I had been good at hiding the fact that I had really wanted to take you."

"You were horrible at hiding it."

"Well, at fourteen, I saw myself as quite sneaky about it. But hearing you yell it at me from across the room?" He shook his head and laughed. "It surprised me. Not only because I thought that you knew I had wanted to take you, but because I think that's when I realized that I was jealous that you hadn't gone with me. And _that_," he said earnestly, "scared the bloody hell out of me."

Hermione smiled. "But we never really came out and admitted it, did we?"

"To be honest, I was still trying to figure it out. I wanted to make sure that I really had started to like you as more than a friend first. Not to mention I was terrified that I would figure out that I did, and that I would either mess up or –" he hesitated.

"Or what?"

"Or be rejected," he said quietly, looking away. It was amazing to Hermione, how close they had been for so long, but their fears and insecurities were always just enough to make them doubt themselves.

"It went back and forth," Ron continued briskly. "One day you'd surprise me with a kiss on the cheek, the next you'd tell me off for some comment I'd made. All the while, I had to wonder, if you would ever like me back. Because as the year started to end, after fighting along side you in the Ministry, and everything, I knew." He brought his eyes back up to hers. "I knew I did. That I probably always sort of did. And that I should maybe try seeing what would happen."

"Well," Hermione said softly, "I knew by then as well. As much as you infuriated me, I knew that it was you I always wanted to fight with. I wanted you more than any one else, but never knew if you would want me back."

Ron shook his head ruefully, "Blimey, were we stupid or what?"

"Well, when we look at sixth year –"

"Alright, alright, I was the stupid one."

"No, I didn't mean it like that," Hermione said, holding tightly to Ron's hands. "No, I mean, we both just didn't admit anything to each other then either."

"We came close, though, didn't we?" Ron asked, gazing up at her. Hermione looked back at him, her heart racing. They had touched on this subject the night before, but it was still there between them.

"You asked me to go to Slughorn's party with you."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Well," Hermione started slowly, willing her voice not to break just yet. "I asked you to come with me for a lot of reasons. I knew that you were feeling put out because Harry and I were getting attention and not you. And in a way, I thought that it would sort of be a make up from the Yule Ball. But I really asked you because I wanted to take you more than anyone else."

"Hermione," Ron asked, taking a deep breath before continuing, "what do you think would have happened, had we gone to Slughorn's party together?"

"Ron…" she began, not quite knowing what she was going to say.

"Tell me," he whispered, staring at her hands in his.

"I- I don't really know, Ron," she answered, her voice just as quiet as his. "We most likely would have gone with Harry and Luna and the four of us would've been together. We probably would have danced a bit as well. And depending on how the night went, well…" she trailed off.

"Do you think we would've- you know – told each other how we – how we - ?"

Hermione sighed, reaching out and taking Ron's chin gently in her grasp and bringing his face up to look at her. "Maybe," she said honestly. "It most likely would have depended on how well the night went. Or maybe not. Maybe I would've been too scared."

"Maybe I would've said or done something to make you upset," he said, smiling slightly. "I would've been so nervous that I would've trod on your foot and you would've dumped Butterbeer in my face." Hermione laughed.

"I'm so sorry I didn't go with you to the party," he continued. "And I'm sorry that I let what Ginny say get to me," he paused. "Do you know what she told me?"

"She told me about it the night I sent the canaries after you. She told me what you two had fought about and tried to get me to go talk to you; that it didn't matter what you and Lavender were doing. But I just couldn't. I was so angry and – and hurt."

Ron grimaced. "So was I, to be honest. I'm not trying to make excuses for what I did. It just, I don't know, the thought of you with someone else…with anyone else…drove me crazy."

"I was really horrible to you after that night," she said, "wasn't I?"

"No worse than I did to you."

Hermione smiled grimly. "We always felt the same things didn't we? We never thought we'd see each other as more than friends. We both thought the other would reject us. We couldn't stand seeing each other with someone else. I don't know how we did it."

"What about me," Ron said, squeezing her hands gently, "I should've exploded, feeling that much emotion. I was never built for this stuff."

"You got better," she pointed out. "You didn't push me away at Dumbledore's funeral."

"Did you think I would?"

"Vaguely," she admitted. "But I didn't care at that moment. I think I knew that we needed to stop being so afraid, especially when we were going to go with Harry. We were going to need each other."

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "And I knew that I had been the one to mess up a lot, so I had to fix it first. That's where the book came in, for a bit."

"How much of the book did you really use, Ron? Tell me honestly."

"I read it all, but like I've told you, I knew a lot wasn't going to happen. The stuff about complimenting you, I think, is what I used the most. It was easy enough; I had always been thinking it. The book just taught me how to say it."

"So, all those time you would let me cry? And you'd hold me?"

"That was me."

"And asking me to dance at the wedding?"

"Me. Mostly so that idiot Krum wouldn't have tried to –"

"And what about that night in Grimmauld Place?" Hermione said, with a glance at their firmly entwined fingers.

Ron chuckled. "You have no idea how scared I was that you were going to smack me. But you just sounded so worried about everything you were talking about, and I wanted to put my arm around you, but we were on the floor, so I just did what I thought was best."

"Do you think Harry noticed it?"

"What, us holding hands? Maybe. Wonder what he thought about it, I should ask."

They smiled at each other, but then Hermione's faded slightly. They had been restating their entire history, and now, they had reached the tougher moments they had been through from the past year.

"Ron," she began hesitantly, wondering if he was willing to talk about this, "about that night, when you left…"

Her voice faltered as Ron, grimacing as though he were in pain, drew his hands back from hers and got to his feet. He opened his mouth, shook his head, then opened it again and said, "Are you done with your tea?"

"Ron," Hermione said softly, but he had already seized both of their cups and was crossing the room to the sink, the china rattling as his hands shook. Hermione bit her lip, and stood as well, watching his back apprehensively.

Ron set the cups in the sink and turned on the water to rinse them out, but he wasn't really paying attention. His heart rate had seemed to increase by tenfold and he stared out the window into the dark, almost wishing he could evaporate into it. They had finally reached one of the two topics he was most dreading discussing, because he knew that the first would surely lead to the other, and he had no idea how she would take it. He turned off the water, gripping the edge of the counter tightly.

He heard Hermione move behind him and his heart missed a beat, thinking that she was leaving, but he couldn't find a voice to call her back. But then, he felt her come up behind him. Her small, warm hands came around his waist as she pressed her face into his back as she hugged him.

"I'm sorry," came her muffled voice. "I shouldn't have mentioned it."

Ron sighed, closing his eyes at the feel of her arms around him. It was there that he found the strength to continue.

"If there's one thing I've done that was dumber than what I did with Lavender," he muttered, "it was walking out on you and Harry."

Hermione pressed her face closer into him, hearing his nervous heartbeat. She wanted him to look at her, but rather thought that this may be easier for the both of them if they didn't make eye contact just yet.

"That locket," Ron said very slowly, his grip tightening on the counter and knuckles going pale, "is definitely in the running for the spot of worst Horcrux. You remember how we all would get really moody whenever we wore it?"

"Yes," Hermione whispered.

"Well, it was really doing a number on me. It would make everything that I was thinking -every doubt, every fear, everything that ticked me off – all of it would become worse and worse whenever I wore it. I'm not trying to make excuses for myself, but I don't know why I couldn't handle it like Harry or you could. And I don't know, that night, it just reached its peak. I could see myself yelling, but couldn't stop. And when I walked out I could – I could hear you," he finally admitted. "I could hear you yelling my name, but even without the effing thing on me it was almost like it was still weighing me down, forcing me to go. I only got a clear head when I disapperated."

"I knew it wasn't you," Hermione choked out. "I knew it was that awful locket that was affecting you that way. It was playing off your emotions, just like the diary did to Ginny."

"Yeah; maybe us Weasleys are allergic to Horcruxes," he said feebly. "Anyway, after getting away from the Snatchers, all I could think of the next few weeks was getting back to you two. All I could hear when I slept was you calling after me. I was miserable; I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't had the Deluminator."

"You would've come back," Hermione said firmly. "I know you would have. I kept waiting for you to. I knew you wouldn't leave us. You never had, you never would."

"And I never will again," he assured her. They were silent for a few moments, Hermione still holding him tightly around his waist. Finally, Ron opened his eyes and then slowly let go of the countertop, turning around to look at Hermione. She relaxed her tight grip on him and instead held him loosely in front of her, her hands on his sides.

"You would think, that after all that, the locket would've had its fill with me, wouldn't you?"

Hermione looked at him anxiously, knowing that she was about to hear the story of how the locket was destroyed. Ron took a deep breath, bringing a slightly shaking hand up to Hermione's face, brushing her hair lightly over her shoulder.

"After I pulled Harry from the water and got the sword, Harry told me to destroy the locket. He was going to open it up and I was supposed to just stab it. I didn't want to, because I was scared at the thought of it affecting me badly again, but he said I should."

He now moved both his hands up to Hermione's shoulders before running them down her arms and back up again, the feel of her bare skin acting like a stimulant to keep him talking. Hermione focused on controlling her breathing, noting that although it was warm night, she could not stop from shivering.

"When he opened it," Ron said, watching his own hands as they moved over Hermione's skin, "the piece of Riddle that was still in it – well, it spoke to me. Just like it had been doing, only now I could see his eyes staring back at me."

Hermione let out a small sound of fear, but otherwise let Ron continue. In any case, Ron found that it was better to keep going now that he had started; he had been sitting on this information so long that a part of him was quite glad to be rid of it.

"It repeated a lot of the things I had been thinking. About how you and Harry had been better off without me, that I was second best to my best friend, how I was least appreciated in my family, how I was – how you must've chosen Harry over me, which I have been dreading for a long time, no matter how stupid I know it is."

Hermione had tears in her eyes as she stared up at Ron, who was white in the face as he continued to repeat what had happened, closing his eyes again to get through it.

"It didn't even stop there, though. Before I could stab it…these things came out of it."

"Something came _out_ of it?" Hermione said in an anguished tone, fearing the worst. "What was it? Was it- was it him?"

"No," Ron said weakly. "Though I would've preferred it. No, the piece of Riddle changed. It – it wasn't him anymore. It was – it was you. You and Harry."

Hermione literally stopped breathing for a second. "_What_?" she gasped.

"It was like seeing you two through some demented mirror. And the Harry from the locket stood up and told me – told me how you both had been better off with me gone. And the thing that was supposed to be you – you said –" his voice broke, his hands grasping her by the elbows.

"Ron?" Hermione whispered, both wanting and not wanting to know, but wishing he could say it in order to start getting past it.

"It said that no one would ever choose me over Harry. That I was nothing compared to him. Then the two of you from the locket – you wrapped around each other. And you kissed."

The room went deathly still. Hermione had tears down her face now and Ron was taking steadying breaths, but neither made to break the silence. Finally, Ron opened his eyes and looked up at Hermione.

"I stabbed it after that, destroyed it. Harry saw how torn up I was over it and told me that it wasn't like that. That you two are just friends; that it was always like that. He told me about how you cried when I left. Then when I pulled it together, we came back to the tent."

Ron fell silent, watching her intently for her reaction. Hermione stared at him with tears still dripping down her face, her lower lip quivering. She had never had the slightest idea that the Horcrux would've been capable of this. To go straight at Ron's heart, to torment him with thoughts that had been so similar to her own over the years; fears of rejection and never being wanted back by the one she cared most about. She gazed into Ron's face, fully seeing how much he had suffered.

"Say something," he said, slightly worried when Hermione didn't speak. He saw how upset she looked and sort of wished he hadn't told her a bit of it; it looked like he had scared her. Finally, she spoke.

"Y-you went through all th-th-that," she said in a strangled and shaking voice, "a-and when you came b-back, all I did was h-hit you!"

"Yeah," Ron said, grinning weakly, partly as an attempt to make her feel less guilty, "but at least there weren't any canaries."

Hermione made an odd noise between a laugh and a sob before collapsing into his arms, her arms wrapping back around him as she cried into his chest. Ron held her tightly as she cried, running his hands up and down her back, trying to calm her.

"Hey," he murmured softly into her ear, "it's alright. It's okay, you don't have to cry. It doesn't matter anymore, don't worry about it."

"M-maybe it doesn't matter n-now, but it did," she cried. "I was s-so mean to you w-w-when you got back! I d-didn't realize, I didn't th-think –"

"Hermione, I don't want you feeling guilty over anything. You didn't know. And it's not like you're off snogging Harry now…thank God," he added.

She hiccupped, which could have been a laugh. Ron held her tightly, soothing her until her shaking shoulders began to relax, until there where no more tears soaking through his shirt. The minutes passed, and then finally Hermione raised her head to look up at him.

"Alright?" he asked her softly, brushing away her remaining tears. She nodded and he kissed her lightly on the forehead. "I didn't mean to make you cry…again," he added sheepishly.

"You didn't," she said, her voice clear, but still quiet. "It's just…you shouldn't have had to go through that." She took a steadying breath. "That is a hundred times more awful then you and Lavender. I'd say we're more than even now."

Ron smiled, lowering his head so that their foreheads were touching. "Fair enough," he agreed.

Hermione slowly moved her arms from around his middle, instead bringing them up and wrapping them around his neck, pulling herself closer to him. She had to almost stand on tip-toe but had no thoughts of pulling away, burying her head in the crook of his neck. Ron responded by placing his hands at the small of her back, content just to hold her, her hair tickling his cheek softly.

Talking about everything they had been through together, from when they had first met to moments over the past year had acted as a way to truly see how far they had come together. And while other subjects still hadn't been addressed in full yet, they could talk as much and as often as they wanted now. In a way, it brought them to realize that where they stood now together was even more real and true, because of how long it took them to get there.

"Ron?" Hermione said after a few minutes.

"Yeah?"

"I'm still glad you told me about this," she said, pulling away slightly to see his face, "but, I have to say, it's no wonder you were so reluctant to tell me about it."

"It's definitely not on my list of favorite discussion topics, no."

"Well, after this," she said, her fingers trailing gently along the back of his neck, making his stomach clench, but in a good way, "I promise I won't make you have any more serious talks for a long time."

"That's good," he replied. "I reckon I'm done talking about the serious stuff for a bit. Or at least until you want to again. So that should give me an hour, at the least."

"Don't be so sure," Hermione scolded him gently. "I may just surprise you and decide that you deserve a very thorough break from talking any more tonight."

Ron grinned, his heart skipping a beat. "I don't know," he teased her, leaning in even closer so that their lips were less than an inch apart. "What if I start talking about elf rights? That seemed to do the trick last time, anyway. You don't want me to work for it?"

"Usually, I would," she assured him. "But after tonight, I think we've proven that we've both been working very hard for this for a very long time. Let's have it be easy for one night."

"Really?" he asked her, brushing his nose along her cheek.

"Just another one of my surprises," Hermione whispered, before pressing her lips to his.

* * *

**Author's Note:** This one's for all the long-lasting and dedicated Ron/Hermione shippers out there. I say we all deserved this chapter after our hard fought years and sticking with these two through it! ;) 


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** Yes, yes, the characters still belong to Jo Rowling…even when I make them do whatever I want. XD

**Everyday From Right Now  
**_Chapter 9  
_By pacifickay

* * *

It was like struggling through the desert without a canteen and then suddenly discovering an oasis. You first take only a few sips from the clear pool of water, because it's what you need to satisfy the thirst. But then you start taking bigger and bigger gulps; water splashes down your front as you try to take in more and the insane urge to dive into the depths overcomes you.

That is what Ron and Hermione felt as their lips continued to find each other. The kisses that had at first been sweet and sure were now becoming harder and faster. They tightened their grips painfully into each other, but both refused to let go. They were agreed: there had been enough waiting. They had each paid enough of a price to be here and now they were determined to fulfill what they owed to each other.

But they were still standing in the dim light of the Weasley's kitchen, after quite a lot of talking, and in the back of her mind, Hermione knew that this needed to be controlled, before they lost their heads completely.

"Ron," she gasped out, reluctantly turning her face from him. Ron made a sound of protest, and instead began to kiss whatever else was in his reach; her cheeks, her forehead, by her ear, her neck –

"Ron," she repeated firmly, trying to find solid ground. She was still balancing slightly on the tips of her toes. The only reason she hadn't fallen over yet was because Ron was more or less holding her right up against him. However, with Ron's lips at her throat, she was loosing sight of why exactly she wanted to stop him, because a much larger part of her didn't.

"What is it?" he asked, and Hermione couldn't help but smile at the faint note of impatience in his voice.

"Ron, we need to stop."

"You said I earned a break," he reminded her, capturing her lips again.

"You did," she said once he had let her go, trying to ignore how dizzy he was making her feel. "But, what will happen if someone else comes down into the kitchen?"

"I'll tell them to clear off and find their own kitchen," Ron insisted, but all the same he slowed slightly.

"What if Ginny wakes up and comes looking for me and finds us? Or Harry? Or your Mum?"

Ron paused for a moment, his lips a mere centimeter from hers, and then groaned. "Hermione, I will stop on one condition."

"What's that?"

"The next time I'm kissing you, could you not bring up my Mum? It's creepy."

"Agreed," she said, kissing him briefly and together they both released each other. "We should get back up to bed," she added.

"You know, Hermione, there's a perfectly good couch in the living room. And you're pretty small, so-"

"_Ron!_"

"Alright, alright, it was just an idea."

"Come on," she said, giggling. "Let's go."

"Hang on," he said, reaching into his pocket. There was a click and the single light went out. Ron took her hand and they made their way slowly and carefully back up the stairs, pausing outside of the door to Ginny's room. Once there, Hermione turned to Ron, and before she could say anything, he cut her off as he leaned down and kissed her again. It was the type of kiss that went from her lips to the tips of her toes, which curled slightly with the pleasant sensation.

"You owe me the rest of my break, Hermione," he hissed in her ear when he broke the kiss. "And I'll hold it against you until I get it back."

She could only nod back in agreement. She would've agreed to just about anything after that. "Goodnight, Ron," she whispered when her voice returned.

"'Night, Hermione," he said, continuing up the stairs and disappearing into the dark.

Hermione slid back into Ginny's room and went over to her bed, sliding back under the blanket. Snuggling closer to her pillow, she could feel her body finally submitting to the exhaustion she had sought to fix earlier. Smiling, her last thought before drifting off to sleep was that maybe she and Ron should have more relaxing cups of tea together…

* * *

"There you are!" A voice said loudly. Hermione sleepily opened one eye, but her vision was quickly obscured as Ginny's pillow hit her in the head.

"Good morning to you too," she grumbled, rolling over and pulling the blanket over her head. Was the sun always this bright in the morning?

"Don't you 'good morning,' me, Hermione," Ginny said, seizing another pillow and climbing out of bed and hitting Hermione with it again.

"Knock it off, Ginny, c'mon, I'm tired," Hermione whined.

"I'm sure you are, what with you and my brother off snogging each other into the night!"

"How do you know what me and Ron did last night?" Hermione asked suspiciously, lowering the blanket to her nose to see Ginny.

Ginny froze in mid-attack, the pillow flopping feebly in her grip. "I- I didn't," she told Hermione, stunned. "I was kidding."

Hermione blinked at her and then burst out laughing.

"Well, what else am I supposed to think when I wake up in the night and you're not in your bed?" Ginny scolded, tossing the pillow back onto her bed and instead crossing her arms. "I knew it wasn't a trip to the loo, you were gone to long."

"I went downstairs for some tea," Hermione said, sitting up. "It just so happened that Ron was there too, so we had a cup together and then we both went back to bed."

"And that was it?" Ginny asked shrewdly.

"That was some of it," Hermione said with a coy smile.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Unbelievable. Hermione Granger gets a midnight rendezvous with her boyfriend, but I don't get one with mine."

Hermione's cheeks went pink slightly at the word 'boyfriend.' She didn't know why, but it wasn't exactly the right word for what Ron meant to her. It was accurate, but not fully expressive. But did Ron see her as simply his girlfriend or was it more for him too? She frowned slightly; it seemed she had found the next topic they would discuss.

"Alright, alright, sorry, I'll drop it," Ginny said, mistaking the look on Hermione's face with annoyance at her.

"What? Oh, no, Ginny, not you, I'm just thinking about other things, that's all."

Glancing around for another topic, Hermione's eyes fell on an object in the corner of the room.

"My trunk!" she exclaimed, hurrying over and opening it excitedly.

"Well, of course," Ginny said amused. "Did you think when you three left we were just going to throw all your items out the window? I expect we'll find Crookshanks later outside, you know how he loves the gnomes."

Glad to finally have more outfits Hermione began rummaging through her clothes for something new to wear. Both girls changed out of their night clothes, each of them settling on tank tops and longer capri shorts. The warm weather from last night had intensified and the sun glaring through the window was only adding to the stifling air.

"Do you still have Harry's clothes in your bag?" Ginny asked, pulling it towards her and reaching inside.

"I should," Hermione said, finishing off tying her hair back in a loose braid. "But if most of his things are still in Ron's room –"

"Keep up, Hermione. I just need an excuse to go in there," Ginny laughed, extracting a few shirts and a pair of jeans. "D'you want to take Ron his as well?"

Hermione snorted. "Since when do you need an excuse to go see Harry?"

"Since me and Harry got back together and everyone found out. You know my brothers, they'll try to find a way to mess this up. I need an alibi."

Hermione chuckled. "Well, if I go with you, isn't that an alibi?"

"Oh, right!" Ginny exclaimed. "I forgot. You and Ron haven't really made your relationship public yet. So, it won't be suspicious if I go with you!"

Again, hearing a label against what was between her and Ron caught Hermione slightly off guard, but she brushed it off for the time being. "Ginny, there's a difference between making it public, and flaunting it, like you do."

"Cheers, Hermione," Ginny beamed, grabbing her hand and pulling her from the room. "Now, quick, let's go."

They hurried up the stairs, waving good morning to Percy as he made his way down the stairs. Hermione assumed he was going to breakfast; the smell of bacon was wafting up the stairs and the murmur of voices hummed in the background. They reached Ron's door and Hermione raised a hand to knock, but Ginny wasted no time in seizing the door knob and marching in.

"Ginny!" Hermione hissed, but she had already crossed the room, climbing on top of Harry's bed, jolting him awake.

"Whoozair?" Harry said thickly, rubbing his eyes and struggling to sit up, but finding he couldn't with Ginny practically on top of him.

"Your wake up call," Ginny said, stretching across his chest.

"Mmm, alright," Harry said happily, wrapping his arms around her. "Morning, Hermione," he added.

"Morning, Harry," she replied, before turning her attention to the other bed in the room and walking over.

Ron had stirred over the commotion that Ginny had made and as Hermione drew closer to him, he opened one eye sleepily. Seeing her, he smiled and she smiled warmly back.

"Hey," he said, raising his head to his rest on his arms in order to see her better.

"Hey yourself," she replied, reaching out a hand and running it softly through his hair and down his cheek. He sighed and closed his eyes again, loving every sensation that her touch caused. She sat softly on the bed beside him, continuing the action. His hair was much softer than she would have thought, its vivid red fascinating her as it caught the sunlight coming in from the window.

It was silent for a few moments as each of the four teenagers focused on little more than the person next to them. The amount of happiness in the air was palpable, causing all of them to smile contentedly.

"Time for breakfast?" Ron said after a few minutes.

"I think so," Hermione replied.

"Haven't been downstairs yet?"

"No, we came here first."

"Excellent habit," Ron said, catching her hand as she moved again over his face. He held it under his for a second, before turning his head slightly and pressing his lips into her palm. Hermione suddenly felt that it wasn't just the weather that was making her cheeks feel hot. Ron opened his eyes and met her gaze, simply looking at her for a second. Then he grinned and sat up, letting go of her hand so he could stretch his long limbs.

"Blimey, it's hot," he noted as he kicked off his blanket. "Wasn't this bad last night," he noted quietly, winking at Hermione.

Ginny snorted from the next bed over, but didn't say anything else. Ron glanced over at her and Harry, still wrapped in each others arms with their eyes closed.

"Oi, do you mind?" he asked her sharply. "How d'you expect me and Harry to change with you in here?"

"Oh, Ron, don't be a baby," Ginny replied, burying her face in Harry's shoulder. "I can't even see you and I'm sure Hermione wouldn't mind if she did. Just go on ahead."

Harry stifled a laugh, glancing over at Ron and Hermione in time to see them both blush a deep crimson.

"It's my room," Ron insisted, trying to ignore the previous statement, though his ears were still red. "Clear off."

"Go change in my room if it bugs you that much," Ginny said, raising a hand and waving him off. "I'm too comfortable to move."

"There you girls are," said a sudden voice from the outside the doorway, "I thought you might be up h – _Ginny Weasley, What_ are_ you doing_?!"

Mrs. Weasley's shrill voice rang through the room, the basket of laundry she had been carrying under one arm spilling at her feet. The others jumped at her voice, but no one higher than Ginny, who had still been lying atop of Harry.

"Mum!" she cried, scrambling off Harry as fast as she could, accidentally hitting him in the face. "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry! I'm –"

But Harry hardly seemed to take notice, his eyes fearfully on a shocked Mrs. Weasley as he sat up and slowly inched away from Ginny.

"Mum," Ron said, standing up and taking a careful step towards his mother with his hands up in a calming way. "Mum, it's alright, they're –"

"Young lady, this is quite ridiculous!" Mrs. Weasley stormed at her daughter. "How dare you think that I would tolerate this behavior in my house!"

"Mum," Ginny said carefully, "it's alright. It's not like –"

"Nothing- nothing happened, Mrs. Weasley, honestly," Harry managed to choke out, his face burning in embarrassment.

"I should think not!" Mrs. Weasley yelped. "Now, I understand that it was a hard year for you to be apart from each other, but to be sleeping in the same bed!"

"We weren't sleeping together!" Ginny shouted. "I was just lying next to him! What's wrong with that?"

Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth to reply, but now Hermione stood up. "Mrs. Weasley, me and Ginny just came in to wake up Harry and Ron. Just this morning. Right now," she said clearly. "Honestly, Ron and I were here the entire time."

Mrs. Weasley regarded Hermione with pursed lips, her breathing still heavy, but no longer looking angry, instead heading towards realization. Tutting loudly, she stooped down to pick up the fallen laundry and placing it pell-mell into the basket.

Once she had gathered everything, she looked at the four of them and said briskly, "Well, girls, seeing as you are already dressed, I suggest you go down for breakfast and let the boys get changed. _Now_ would be preferable," she added warningly, turning away and marching off down the stairs.

Ginny groaned and buried her face in her hands while Harry still looked like he wanted to jump out the window.

Hermione turned to Ron and whispered, "Thank goodness you were only sitting next to me." He nodded fervently.

_"GIRLS!"_

Hermione and Ginny tore from the room, leaving Ron and Harry to scramble hurriedly around the room to change.

* * *

Joining the rest of the family in the kitchen, Hermione and Ginny quickly headed over to the stove and counter and filled their plates of bacon, eggs, sausages and toast before sitting at the table with the rest of the family. Bill and Fleur had also returned for the day, as they had promised Mrs. Weasley; they stood against the counter with a cup of coffee apiece.

"What did you do, Ginny?" Mr. Weasley asked curiously from the table, looking at his daughter from over the _Daily Prophet_ as she and Hermione sat down. "Why's your mother shouting?"

"I've got a hunch," Charlie said in a stage whisper. George and Percy sniggered.

"Shut up," Ginny snapped, pointing a fork at them threateningly. "I'm already expecting the worse from her, and if I get any cheek from you lot, I swear I will stick this – "

"Watch it, Ginny," Ron warned as he and Harry finally trooped into the room, both with their hair messy and slightly winded after having dressed at top speed. "Once she's done in the laundry room, she's coming in here."

After they had filled their plates, they came to join the table. Ron took up his space beside Hermione, but a tight-lipped Harry chose to sit on the other side of the table across from Ginny instead of in the empty seat beside her. She noticed this and glared pointedly at him, but he shook his head warningly and started in on his food at once, hoping that he could escape his fate quicker.

The others noticed the exchange: George and Percy looking inclined to laugh, Charlie shaking his head over at Bill who winked, and Ron and Hermione looking nervously at each other.

Mr. Weasley remained the only one unaware of the situation and had just opened his mouth to ask what was going on when his wife walked into the kitchen.

"Morning, Mum!" George said, trying and failing to keep a blank face. "Care to join us for some breakfast and good conversation?"

Mrs. Weasley took in her surroundings; from the stifled giggles and Ginny glaring at George, to Harry staring determinedly at his plate and Mr. Weasley's mingled curiosity.

Rather than exploding however, she threw up her hands in defeat. "Alright you two," she said to Ginny and Harry, "it's fine. However, you may as well tell the rest of the family what is going on, lest they make a similar discovery and misunderstand more than I would."

Ginny looked at Harry, who looked as though he would've preferred that she had continuing shouting at them, and then back to her mother with a raised eyebrow.

"That's it?" she asked curiously.

"That's all," Mrs. Weasley said with a smile. "It isn't as though it is a total surprise, to be honest. Mind you, that is not permission to go parading it about," she finished sternly, though her eyes still remained soft.

"Actually, Mum," Charlie spoke up, "As much as I would love to watch these two squirm with even more embarrassment…we all already know. Obviously, these two," he pointed at Ron and Hermione, "have known for longer. Last night," he added to her unanswered question. "After you and Dad went to sleep."

"Well, we found out this morning," Bill clarified, Fleur nodding. "George told us."

"So am I the only one who is left to their own devices?" Mr. Weasley asked, though he looked amused.

"What do you say Dad?" Bill asked his father.

Mr. Weasley looked around at everyone else, before setting his gaze on Harry, who was still red in the face and pretending to be invisible.

"Harry," he said calmly. Harry looked up, waiting for the final blow, but Mr. Weasley smiled at him.

"The last time I saw such a look of guilt upon a young man was when my father caught myself and Molly outside in the garden one summer. It's quite a feat to keep a secret from the Weasley's; many have failed before you. Better luck next time."

The kitchen erupted into laughter, and Harry finally breathed a deep sigh of relief and grinned sheepishly at Mr. Weasley.

"Well, there goes our alone time," Ginny muttered, but she too looked relieved. "You know, Mum, next time we go through this, shall we just alert the Ministry to come do the interrogating for you? Might be less mortifying for the second couple under attack."

Mrs. Weasley looked curiously at her daughter. "'Second couple'? What do you mean 'the second couple'?"

"I think I'm going to go look for Crookshanks!" Hermione cried, jumping out of her seat.

"Hold it, Hermione," Ron said in a low voice, standing up beside her and glaring at Ginny who had clapped her hands over her mouth. "You may have to prevent me from committing a brutal murder of my own sister."

Apart from Harry, George and Ginny, one by one, the Weasley's each broke into a knowing smile after Ron's statement. And lastly, Mrs. Weasley looked from a guilty looking Ginny, to Ron's mutinous glare, to Hermione's slowly reddening cheeks. Suddenly, her eyes went wide and then she was positively beaming.

"Now you've done it, Ginny," George remarked, shaking his head. "Weren't content going down with just Harry, eh?"

"Oh, now this is just so wonderful!" Mrs. Weasley cried, hurrying over to Hermione and wrapping her in a huge hug. Hermione looked bewildered for a moment, but carefully hugged Mrs. Weasley back.

"Well done, Ron," Bill said, raising his coffee mug to him. "We were all worried that you'd never come around."

Ron scowled at him, but was soon confronted by Mrs. Weasley, who took his face in her hands and brought him down to kiss his face.

"Oh, Ronnie, I am so happy for you two!" she said, her eyes misty.

"Hey!" Ginny protested, dropping her guilty look for a moment. "How come they aren't getting placed on trial?"

"You and Harry were expected," Charlie said laughing. "But with these two, the signs have been there for years. It was just a matter of waiting it out."

"You should've seen them at Hogwarts," George said. "Pathetic how obvious they were. Bickering all the time and never just wising up to each other."

"Forget Hogwarts." Bill stated. "The way Ron was looking at her when they were staying at my place!"

"You two were so funny when you were jealous of each other, I must admit," Ginny said with an apologetic grin.

"And zey looked so adorable at zee wedding," Fleur commented happily. "Dancing togezzer."

"Try putting up with it for seven years," Harry said, beaming at his best friends. "Or trying to get them to focus on a war more than each other."

By now, Ron and Hermione were each a spectacular shade of red, torn between utter embarrassment and amusement at the family's reactions. To hear them repeat nearly everything they had already discussed and to know that they approved of it was almost a sense of validation that what they were doing made sense.

"Alright, alright," Mr. Weasley chuckled, "leave them alone before they combust." He drank the last of his coffee and stood up. "Well, I'd better head out to work."

Mrs. Weasley patted Ron on the cheek a final time, before looking over at her husband. "Are you going to be with Kingsley again today, Arthur?"

"I am," he said. "Percy," he added, "were you still planning on coming today?"

"Yes," Percy said, getting to his feet. "The more people to help restoring order the better."

"Can't think of a more pompous candidate. Sorry, I meant worthy," George commented.

"I'll be heading out as well," Bill said, giving Fleur a kiss. "The goblins may not have explicitly taken a side in the war, but we've got our own work to do."

"And perhaps I ought to contact my guys about a certain dragon that has escaped Gringotts," Charlie said, grinning at Harry.

"What?!" Bill demanded. Charlie laughed and led him out of the kitchen, beginning to retell the story.

The others called out their goodbyes, as those leaving for their job took turns stepping into the fireplace and were whisked away by Floo Powder.

"Fleur, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, after waving off Mr. Weasley last. "Would you mind helping me with the –" she glanced apprehensively at the others "-with the arrangements for tomorrow?"

"Of course," Fleur relied gently, placing her mug in the sink and waving her wand so that the dishes inside began to wash themselves.

"We'll see the rest of you for lunch," Mrs. Weasley said with a smile, but she suddenly seemed strained. "Don't go making any messes, alright?" She and Fleur left the kitchen.

"Tomorrow?" Ginny asked.

"Fred's funeral," George replied, his earlier humor gone and his voice hollow.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Ow. Sorry for the harsh ending, but it had to be done. ''/

For this chapter, I just really wanted to write in all the reactions of the entire Weasley family to our couples. I promise more of an actual plot is coming up in the next few chapters…or I can skip the plot and do more fun stuff, lol, which you all seem to enjoy anyway! ;)


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I am not J.K. Rowling. Nope, I am nothing more than a broke college student who is merely playing in her world.

**Everyday From Right Now  
**_Chapter 10  
_By pacifickay

* * *

­The announcement of the funeral had brought an abrupt end to the silliness of the morning. It wasn't as though any of them had forgotten about having something planned for Fred, but the silent agreement to not mention it without any reason had been a nice way to dull the pain. It seemed to crash down with a heavy force on everyone, sending them all into separate modes of coping.

George had retreated to his bedroom and in a curious change of pace, no one seemed more upset about it then Ron. In a brave attempt to take his mind of his brother, Harry had suggested that he and Ron head out to the Weasley's backyard paddock and have a go on their broomsticks, which they hadn't done in so long. After a glance at Hermione, who nodded encouragingly, he gave her a quick kiss and followed Harry out the back door. Ginny, however, took the even braver approach and decided that she would help her mother and Fleur with the arrangements, also noting that in this way, the four of them would not feel any guiltier at not being more involved with the proceedings.

Hermione felt a little out of place. She didn't feel too comfortable assisting in the funeral plans, no matter how much Ginny insisted that it would be fine each time she came to fill her in with some details. She vaguely thought about going to see George, but immediately decided against it. Without Harry or Ron around, she was hard pressed to find something to distract her, and for a few hours settled on going through the contents of her trusted beaded bag. The monotony of sorting her clothes from the boys', restacking books, and repacking her trunk worked as a buffer to the thoughts of the following day.

Once done, she remembered Ginny mentioning that Crookshanks would be somewhere out in the garden. Grateful for something to do and because she had honestly missed her pet, Hermione went back downstairs and out into the yard. Sure enough, a fluffy mass of ginger fur was crouched low by the hedges, its tail twitching.

Hermione began walking over. "Crookshanks," she called softly. "Come here, Crookshanks."

Crookshanks turned to look at the sound of her voice, his ears straight up and listening. He had a gnome in his mouth that was twisting and screaming curse words at the top of his voice.

Hermione laughed. "Put him down, you naughty cat, and come over here."

Crookshanks dropped the gnome and meowing happily, came trotting over to Hermione, who knelt down in the grass and scooped him into her arms.

"Hello, Crookshanks," Hermione crooned, brushing her cheek into his fur. "Did you miss me?" A deep purr was her answer.

"I hope you've been behaving for the Weasley's," she said, petting him. "And you'll need to behave tomorrow as well. A lot of people will be coming for the funeral."

She placed the cat back down and sat cross legged in the grass. Crookshanks, still happy at being reunited with Hermione, lept back into her lap, settling there and looking up at her.

Scratching Crookshanks absentmindedly behind the ears, Hermione continued to speak, more to herself than anyone else, but it was nice to know someone was listening, even if it was a cat with a squashed face.

"A lot has happened, Crookshanks. Lots of things are different now. Harry beat Voldemort. We're all safe now thanks to him. But we lost some of our friends. D'you remember Tonks and Lupin? And Fred? I can't believe they're really gone. Just like that. And I still haven't gotten Mum and Dad back yet." Her eyes watered, but she wiped at them impatiently.

"I know they're still safe, but I want to bring them home. Soon. Perhaps after the funeral tomorrow, I can start planning to set out. I may go alone…but I expect Ron wouldn't let me," she said with a knowing smile. "Maybe Mrs. Weasley will let Ginny and Harry come too, if we all swear to separate beds."

Crookshanks blinked up at her and let out another meow.

"That's different too," Hermione said, stroking his back. "Ginny and Harry are back together. It's really good for both of them. They're so happy, and its best for Harry to have something stable after all he went through. Well, not that going out with Ginny is calm and stable," she laughed softly, "but they're good for each other."

Crookshanks suddenly sat up a bit straighter and looked off into the distance. Hermione looked as well, and shielding her eyes against the glare of the sun, could see two figures heading back towards the house.

"That'll be Harry and Ron," Hermione said, unable to hide her smile. "That's also different. I know you two didn't get off on the best start, Crookshanks, but you know that I've been after that Weasley boy for ages. How many times did I cry into your fur over him?" she shook her head at the memories. Crookshanks had turned to look at her for a moment, before looking back to watch the boys approach.

"Well, anyway, that's perhaps the biggest difference. I don't really like putting a label on it, because he means so much more to me than just a 'boyfriend,' but we are certainly together now."

She liked how simple it sounded, even when she knew that when it came to her and Ron, they were anything but simple.

"You know what, Crookshanks?" She whispered, because she could now make out the murmur of Harry and Ron's voices and didn't want them to hear her. "We haven't really said it yet, what we both know. Maybe it just goes without saying," she said thoughtfully. "But I've known it forever and I know it now. It's more than liking him. I want him for the rest of his life."

The thought made Hermione laugh with happiness, the sound carrying the short distance to where Ron and Harry were walking back. Ron looked up at the sound of it and saw her in the grass with Crookshanks in her lap.

"That mental thing is still here?" he called over to her.

"I could say the same thing about you," Hermione retorted.

"Hey!" he said indignantly. She laughed again, picking up Crookshanks and getting to her feet.

"Yes, he is still here," she said, striding over and meeting Ron and Harry. "And you had better play nice."

Ron raised an eyebrow at the cat, who gazed calmly back. "We have our truce, don't we Crookshanks?" he asked, reaching out and petting his head. Crookshanks purred louder still.

"See?" Ron told Hermione, with a smug smile. "I let him stay around and if I'm mean to him, he eats my pets. Same as usual."

"Poor Pig," Harry commented. He then glanced around. "Is Ginny still helping Mrs. Weasley and Fleur?"

Hermione nodded, setting Crookshanks down and then standing up again. "Most people they've told say they're coming. The Longbottoms, the Lovegoods, lots of people from Gryffindor, even Kingsley is going to make it."

Ron shifted nervously. "Have they-" he began, before pausing and trying again, "-have they decided where he's going to – to be?"

"Yes," Hermione said gently. "Out by your Quidditch paddock, they're going to set something up. Fleur suggested the, um, cemetery down in the village, but Ginny resisted."

"Oh," Ron said, watching Crookshanks chase more gnomes. "That's good, I guess."

The awkward silence finally came and consumed them. Not knowing whether it was best to break it, Hermione bit her lip. Harry decided to change the subject.

"I was telling Ron," he said, a little louder than usual, but Ron and Hermione both pretended there was no difference, "that I was thinking that I should get another broomstick. I lost the Firebolt a long time ago and I was thinking of replacing it. Maybe a different make though," he added. "I don't really see myself needing a world class racing broom anymore."

"Harry's retiring from the game," Ron told Hermione. "Even before he went professional."

"Quidditch just seems like a lifetime ago," Harry said shrugging.

"A lot of things do," Hermione agreed.

"Hey! You guys ready for lunch?" Ginny called out from the backdoor to the house. "Mum's made sandwiches."

"We're coming," Harry called back to her, motioning for the other two to follow. Hermione however, grabbed hold of Ron's arm and held him back.

"Ron, are you okay?" she asked without pretense, peering up into his face.

He shrugged. "As alright as I'm going to be. It's just…hard to think about," he admitted.

"I know," Hermione sighed.

"Well, no need to get worked up today," he said, trying to sound disinterested, but not meeting her eyes. "Save that for tomorrow. C'mon lets go eat."

* * *

The rest of the afternoon passed slowly. After a subdued lunch that was marked by the continued absence of George and a teary Mrs. Weasley, the others sat around in the living room, trying to find other methods of distraction. Ron played a few games of Wizards Chess apiece with both Hermione and Harry, naturally destroying them both. At one point, Hermione immersed herself again in _Hogwarts, A History_, while the boys talked vaguely about whether or not they would accept Professor McGonagall's offer if she said they could take their N.E.W.T's. There was one uncomfortable moment when Ginny, who had been peaking in on the others from time to time, came in to have a strangled and whispered conversation with Ron, leaving them both looking pale in the face.

"What is, Ron?" Hermione asked once Ginny had left.

"They don't know who's going to do the speaking," he said, unconsciously rubbing his hands up and down his arms, as if he was cold. "Ginny recalled Fred saying that he didn't like that old bloke who talked at Dumbledore's funeral. Said he was too up tight."

"But then who would do it?" Harry asked.

"They're going to try to ask Kingsley," Ron said. "If he can't though, I guess one of us would have to do it." He looked terrified at the thought. Harry and Hermione exchanged somber looks and the strained afternoon hours resumed.

Finally, the sun outside began to dim and shadows began to creep into the room. Hermione was stretched out on the couch, her head and arms resting on her book while she dozed. Harry was lying flat on his back on the floor, twirling his wand out in front of him, occasionally sending out a strand of light, smiling at how good it felt to have it back. And Ron had sat on the floor in front of the couch, leaning back into its cushions, gazing up at the ceiling.

Just after six o'clock, the sound of a crackling fire and accompanying voices alerted the three of them, and they all sat up. The others had returned from the Ministry.

"Hello?" Mr. Weasley called. "Where is everyone?"

"Right here, Dad," Ron responded, as they all came fully into the room.

"Where's Ginny and Fleur?" Bill asked.

"Upstairs with Mrs. Weasley," Harry said. "Planning."

The knowing winces passed everyone's face. Mr. Weasley dropped his cloak and dashed over up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

"And George?" Charlie asked, after his eyes had swept around the room.

"He's been in his room," Hermione said. Bill and Charlie looked at Percy, who nodded and strode up the stairs as well.

"And how are you three?" Charlie asked. They shrugged and gave similar answers of being alright, though it wasn't exactly the truth.

"How're things at the Ministry?" Harry asked.

"Well, they're clearing up," Bill said, moving over to sit on the couch next to Hermione as she scooted over to make room. "They're beginning to contact all the families that went into hiding. Kingsley has made sure that the Dementors are being gathered up and taken care of. Not that you can really kill a Dementor, but you can reduce their numbers, and they're not guarding Azkaban anymore. Which is good, that's where they're still sending the remaining Death Eaters."

"There's still some out there?" Harry asked, unable to mask his obvious disbelief and twinge of anger.

"They're trying to claim they were Imperioused," Charlie said, "Of course some of them were, but there are a lot of stories to try to verify. Not to mention tracking down the ones who are still out there on the run."

A slightly stunned pause met this news.

"There's still some Death Eaters on the run?" Hermione repeated in a small voice. Bill and Charlie nodded gravely.

"Most of the ones who didn't die at Hogwarts were captured, but the ones that weren't there or who ran away early are still at large," Bill said.

"I mean, they're not really going to try anything stupid," Charlie reassured the others, "because of course the Ministry will snuff them out quick. But they need to get going tracking them down, once they can get the Auror Department back up and running."

"Who's still out there?" Harry asked at once.

"Kingsley won't say who they all are," Charlie said. "Not yet. Doesn't want them to know that they're already onto them. The rest of the Order has started looking though. We're pretty sure that Rockwood is out there and so are the Lestrange bothers. And apparently, no one can account for Greyback."

"I stunned Greyback, though!" Ron said fervently. "Me and Neville were able to bring him down. You mean they didn't get him?"

"Doesn't seem like it, no," Bill said shaking his head. Ron looked angry; he glared down at the floor and didn't even react when Hermione reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Footsteps on the stairs caused the others to look up. Fleur and Ginny came down first, looking exhausted, followed by Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley, who was hastily stowing away a handkerchief when she saw the others.

"Good," she said in a slightly higher voice than usual, but she still put on a small smile. "Now that we're all home, I'll whip up a quick dinner for us."

"I'll come and 'elp you," Fleur said kindly as they went into the kitchen.

"Do you boys mind helping me set up a table outside?" Mr. Weasley said to Bill and Charlie. "It'll be less cramped and hot out back than in the kitchen."

"Sure, Dad," Charlie said, and he and Bill got to their feet and followed their father outside.

Ginny came over to the other three and sat heavily in an armchair.

"You alright?" Harry asked her, edging closer to her.

"It's the worst," she said in a flat voice. "Possibly one of the worst things I've ever been through, including being possessed by You-Know-Who."

Ron looked up at the sound of her voice, coming out of his mutinous attitude at the news of Greyback and his expression clearing from angry to wary. "So is it all done then?"

"Yes," Ginny said sighing. "It all starts at three o'clock, guests starting to arrive an hour earlier by Portkeys and Apparation. That little wizard from the school's memorial service and Dumbledore's funeral is handling the actual gra- place where they're putting him, but he's not going to be speaking."

"Who is?" Hermione asked.

Ginny shrugged. "Kingsley said he'd be alright doing a bit, but Fleur said that it should be left to the family. I suppose that means which ever one of us is even capable of speech tomorrow."

An even stiller silence than the one that had appeared at the news of unaccounted for Death Eaters reared its head over the four of them.

"Well," Ron said tonelessly. "That rules out Mum."

"Can you four come 'elp set zee table and take out zee food?" Fleur asked, coming in from the kitchen.

"Sure thing," Ginny said and the four of them got to their feet.

"I'm going to go get Percy and George," Ron said. "That alright?" The others nodded, Hermione throwing a final and anxious glance at him over her shoulder as he climbed the stairs.

* * *

The sweltering air from the day and started to dissipate as night began to settle over the Burrow. The family sat at the long table, eating heartily after such a long day. Charlie and Bill, now joined by Mr. Weasley, began to fill in the others what they had already told Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Rather than hear the mixture of good and bad news a second time, the three of them sat quietly in thought over their pork chops.

Without knowing it, each was dwelling over something similar; Harry kept frowning slightly at the thought of Death Eaters still out there, though the idea of less Dementors was very pleasing. Hermione had started thinking again of her parents and whether or not she wanted to bring them back into the country while anyone with the name Lestrange was still out there. And Ron gave his dinner a particularly violent stab with his fork whenever the thought of Greyback came into his mind; he had fought that vile werewolf for a _reason_, and now it was like it didn't make a difference…

"Can I ask you something, Ron?" George asked suddenly from beside him, watching him closely. "Or will you use your utensil to hack off my other ear?"

"Sorry," Ron grunted, setting the fork down. "What's up?" Harry and Hermione glanced over as well.

George took a steadying breath. "Who's speaking at the funeral tomorrow? Not that little bloke again?"

Ron looked intently at him before responding. George had emerged from his room earlier, pale faced and with tousled hair and Percy had told Ron in a whisper that he had been listening to him, but wasn't talking much. This had continued into the dinner, where he would speak only when addressed and even then only with enough to respond. The others knew that their amount of grief over Fred paled in comparison to his twin's, so they were resigned to let him be.

However, George initiating any conversation, and especially the conversation that would be most difficult for him, could not be taken lightly. Ron decided that it was best to not sugar coat anything for him, because he knew that George wanted the straight answers.

"Ginny said that Kingsley is going to say a few words," he said, not looking away from George's face. "But then Kingsley reckons that it ought to be done by one of us."

"Not Mum then," George said frowning. Harry and Hermione exchanged small miles; it had been exactly what Ron had said. "Who do you think will?"

Ron shrugged. "I thought maybe Dad, but if he's with Mum…maybe Charlie."

George cocked his head at Ron slightly, as if surprised at his answer.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Well, what about you or Percy?" George asked simply.

They stared at each other in silence, each with unreadable expressions. Harry and Hermione, however, both had their mouth slightly open in surprise. That was certainly something to think about.

"You were there," George continued in a steady voice. "You and Percy. You three and Percy, actually," he added nodding at Hermione and Harry. "I don't see why one of you couldn't do it."

"George," Harry said at once. "It's nothing personal, mate, honestly, but I could barely do the Hogwarts memorial. I don't know if I could handle this."

George nodded. "No, that's fine Harry, I understand. I mean, you were never the Boy Who Lived to Fred. You were just Harry. No point in giving you a reason to show off."

The humor sent a look of relief over Harry face and he smiled thankfully at George.

"I couldn't do it either," Hermione whispered. "It should be one of you." George nodded again, raising a corner of his mouth in a fraction of a smile, but again it was enough for Hermione to smile back at him as the unsaid understanding was reached.

"Then me or Percy," Ron said slowly.

"Or me," George added as an afterthought. "That would probably be fitting as well."

"Could you do it?" Ron asked him straight out. For a moment, George was silent, a faint frown appearing on his features before he answered.

"I'm not saying it would be the happiest moment of my life," he said, looking seriously at Ron, "but the thought of not doing it is even worse. So I would…I will."

"I'll talk to Percy," Ron said, glancing up the table at him. "Maybe we'll flip a Galleon or something."

"You ought to tell Fleur or Ginny, too," Harry spoke up, "so they know."

"Right," George said. "And then they can break the news to Mum."

"Everyone done down there?" Mrs. Weasley called, waving her wand so that the dirty plates whizzed away from them and then stacked themselves in a tower and floated towards the house, where a clean stack was coming ahead of Mr. Weasley as he brought out the dessert.

Over dessert, Ginny joined in the conversation going on between the others. She looked momentarily stunned as George and Ron filled her in with their plans for tomorrow, but agreed to let Fleur know, though she noted that "The later Mum finds out, the less chance she has to try telling you that you don't have to." They also talked again about what plans Harry, Ron, and Hermione had for replacing their final year of school, but it was apparent that as the minutes ticked by, they were more likely to fall into silence again.

Finally, the family began to clear the table and troop back into the house. Ron, George and Percy stood aside for the first few minutes, talking in low voices that Harry, Hermione, and Ginny exchanged knowing looks over. Bill and Fleur said their goodbyes and walked out beyond the gate to the Burrow before Disapparating. And Mrs. Weasley's command of them going to bed early was not questioned at all, so they began biding each other good night and head back inside to get to their beds.

For the second time that day, however, Hermione held Ron back.

"Yeah, Hermione, what's up?" he asked her curiously, for she was staring deftly up at him, clutching some dessert plates in her hands

"Will you be okay, tomorrow?" she asked him seriously.

He sighed heavily, his grip on his own stack of remaining plates tightening. "I'll have to ask Harry how much Firewhiskey he had before the memorial, but yeah, I'll be fine."

"I just-" she paused slightly, wondering if this was her place to say anything.

"What?"

"I just- just wish that this wasn't so hard on everyone," she admitted. "Obviously it's going to be, but I just wish that it didn't have to hurt you or George or anyone so much."

"Hermione," he assured her gently, "I'll be alright."

"You're sure, Ron?"

He looked down into her face, truly marveling over how concerned she was over him. Granted, she always had been, but she was sounding as if she really wanted him to be more than okay tomorrow. Not looking away from her, he reached out and took her plates from her hands, stacking them on top of his and then placing all of them on the ground beside him. Hermione opened her mouth to ask him what he doing, but she got her answer immediately as he wrapped his long arms around her and pulled her into a gentle hug.

She reached her own arms up around his back, wishing that she could take all this pain away from him. It was like being back on the very night when Fred was killed; how she had to hold him back from following Percy and destroying every Death Eater in sight. She had seen the immense pain on his face then and it almost hurt her just as much to stop him, but knew that was what she had to do. He had let her then, just as he had let her comfort him when he had been upset every time afterward.

It was all she could do for him, and yet, it seemed to be all he needed.

"I'm sure," Ron said, affirming this thought as he slid his hands gently up and down her back. "I'll have Harry and Ginny and George and everyone else there tomorrow, right?"

"Yes."

"And you're not going anywhere?"

"You know I wouldn't," she whispered.

"Then I'll survive the worst," he said, pulling back and looking at her again. "Just like always. Just like we keep saying; we do this together, right?"

She nodded. "Yes, we'll survive together."

Ron leaned down and kissed her. Hermione raised her hand to his cheek and gently held him there, making herself promise that she would not leave his side even for a second tomorrow.

They broke away and Ron leaned down to grab the stack of plates in one hand to take in and taking Hermione's hand in his other as they went back into the house. After saying goodnight to those still downstairs, they headed upstairs together. They shared another quick kiss on the landing outside Ginny's bedroom, before saying goodnight and going to their separate rooms.

Neither of them could deny that the upcoming day was going to be hard. But as each settled into bed, Ron and Hermione were both comforted by the fact that going through it together was going to be enough.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Believe it or not, I have just laid the basis for quite a few different plot points in this chapter. Aren't I sneaky? Lol. ...But there's a double-dose of Ron/Hermione to go through first before those new plot points come into play. …And that funeral…so I recommend you enjoy the fluff while its here… 


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** J.K. Rowling has the power to totally take all her characters away from me and not let me use them anymore. I really hope she doesn't though, lol, I'm having such fun.

**Everyday From Right Now  
**_Chapter 11  
_By pacifickay

* * *

_"Take them downstairs, Greyback," Bellatrix Lestrange demanded, "and make sure they are secure, but do nothing more to them – yet."_

Greyback began to force Harry, Luna, Dean and Griphook through another door and into a dark corridor. This time, however, Ron was free from the rest of the group and he remained in the room with Bellatrix Lestrange. Unable to move, rooted to the spot as though he was under the Full-Body Bind, he could only watch in utter fear at what was happening in front of him.

Bellatrix had dragged Hermione out into the middle of the room and threw her to the floor. 

"Now," Bellatrix hissed, fixing Hermione with a malevolent stare through her heavily lidded eyes, as Hermione scrambled to sit up. "I am going to ask you some questions, Mudblood. And you are going to answer me. Who knows, maybe talking will keep you alive longer."

"Let the others go," Hermione said, and though she was visibly shaking, her voice remained steady. "You can kill me if you want, but just let the others go." 

_Bellatrix screamed with laughter. "Who do you think you are, trying to bargain your life? Your life isn't even worth a fraction of the goblin's."_

_She raised her wand and pointed it right at Hermione's chest. "No more pleas for anyone else's' life but your own. Crucio!"_

_"HERMIONE!" Ron bellowed, her scream piercing him just as fiercely as a knife. He ran forward, falling to his knees beside Hermione, trying to reach out for her. But it was almost as though he were a ghost; his hands had no grip on her at all and he couldn't even feel her._

_With a flick of the wand, Bellatrix released Hermione, who lay sobbing on the floor._

_"Think that is the worst I can do, Mudblood? You'll be nothing by the time I'm finished with you."_

_And she hit Hermione with the spell again. Ron's own screamed joined in with hers, but still he was unable to do anything to help Hermione. He jumped to his feet and charged at Bellatrix, but just as with Hermione, he could not touch her, he merely ran through her._

_Helpless, he fell to the floor, tears streaking his face as Hermione screamed again and again as Bellatrix demanded to know where the sword had come from and how they had been inside her vault. All he could do was yell to Hermione, trying to reach her in some way, but she couldn't hear him at all. He began to crawl towards her twisting body, hoping against all hope that she would live, that she would forgive him._

_He crawled, but the length of the room seemed to stretch forever…she was moving away from him…and then suddenly the walls began to melt away…he wasn't at the Malfoy's anymore…he was in a corridor…he was at Hogwarts…  
_

_...They had been standing together. Harry, Hermione, Percy, Fred, and him, Ron. Standing in the corridor as a blissful moment of calm settled amongst them in the middle of the battle. He was terrified over everything, but still able to smile as Fred turned to Percy with great delight etched across his face._

_An explosion unlike anything he had ever heard before tore the world into pieces. Ron felt his feet leave the ground as he flew through the air, whether he was hitting other people or debris, he didn't know. He finally crashed to the floor, struggling to push the wreckage off his body._

_He heard Percy then, shouting in an anguished voice. "Fred? Fred? NO! No! Fred! No!"_

_His chest constricted and he couldn't breathe, he struggled over to his brothers, already fearing what he was going to find, when a second voice in the corridor shouted out in alarm._

_When they had dug enough, Ron shoved Harry aside and was able to grab Hermione. He hoisted her out of the rubble, clutching her tightly to his chest. She wasn't moving…she was far too limp…she was far too cold…_

_"No, no, no…" Ron moaned over and over, brushing her hair away from her eyes and finally seeing her face. Her face was quite blank, she could have been asleep had it not been for her wide and lifeless eyes gazing up at nothing…_

_She was dead…the same girl who had finally kissed him moments earlier…who he had been in love with for years…and he had never told her…Hermione was dead...and Ron screamed like he had never screamed before in his life…clutching her body tightly to him…the world was fading around him…he was screaming in agony over both his brother and her…he felt like something was pulling him away from the scene…they were gone…_

* * *

Ron woke up with a start, his shirt damp with sweat and breathing heavily. He raised his shaking hands to his face and held tightly, trying to keep back the yell that was fighting to get out.

It wasn't that he was a stranger to nightmares. He had probably had more bad dreams over the past year of hunting for Horcruxes than most people have in a lifetime. But those had been mostly jumbled at best, usually lost in exhusation or forgotten as soon as he woke up. It was Harry who had the dreams, not him.

He could easily explain it too. After all, he was bound to have nightmares after everything they went through. In fact, a part of him was expecting quite a few, and probably some that involved a certain evil locket. This one was no doubt the first of many, brought on by the total anguish that Fred's death and funeral was causing him. There had been little time for grieving soon after, and he and his family had been pushing it off for as long as they could. But that time had ended, which is why he knew the nightmare had come, despite the fact that over the last few nights he was able to sleep happily; though he had Hermione to thank for that.

His stomach lurched at the thought of her name and it was enough for him to struggle up into a sitting position, still shaking and wiping his hair from his forehead. Revisiting that night at the Malfoy's made him almost sick. To be trapped, helpless and unable to help her was his own personal hell. And then when the dream had changed…to see her just as he had seen Fred…it had been so close…it could have been any of them…Harry, Percy, him…it could have been _her_.

Ron let out a strangled breath. He had suddenly been seized with the want to go down to Ginny's room and make sure she was okay. But that was stupid, wasn't it? He knew Hermione was alright; they were at the Burrow, she was safe, and he was overreacting. But the sight of her open and vacant eyes flashed in his mind again and he knew he wasn't going to believe himself until he saw her.

Kicking off his sheets, he slid silently out of bed and headed for the door. He glanced at Harry's bed when he passed; Harry hadn't even stirred and was snoring lightly. Ron crept as slowly and quietly as he could down the stairs, trying hard to skip the steps he knew would creak.

In the back of his mind, he knew that if anyone caught him looking in on Hermione, he would never hear the end of it, no matter how much they approved of them being together. But he couldn't talk himself out of it now. Reaching the bedroom door, he pushed it open, and peered inside.

In the dark, he could just make out Ginny, sound asleep in her bed and he looked over to where Hermione's bed was. It was empty. He looked around wildly; she wasn't in the room at all.

A cold and crushing sense of fear engulfed his mind. This didn't make sense, this wasn't right. She should be here. What had happened? Where was she? Should he call for help? Oh God, what if she had been kidnapped? He stood rooted to the spot in the doorway, breathing uneven as he struggled to stay upright.

The creak on the stairs behind him sent him whirling around, ready to face the intruder that had taken Hermione. He was going to make them pay.

"Ron?" a voice whispered out at him. "Ron, is that you?"

And just as suddenly as it had come, the cold fear left, replaced by warm and glorious relief at the sound of Hermione's voice; and it doubled at the sight of her.

"Ron," she said again, still keeping her voice down so she wouldn't wake Ginny. "Ron, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he whispered back. "I just-I- hang on a second, where were you?" he asked.

She raised an eyebrow. "If you must know, I was in the bathroom. Why? What are you doing here?"

He was glad it was dark, that way she couldn't see him blushing. Should he tell her? He knew she'd listen, but did it matter? Shouldn't he just get back to bed? No, that wouldn't do, she be worried, just as she looked right now.

She reached out and held his shoulder tightly. "What is it, Ron?"

"Nothing," he finally said. "It was nothing. Go back to bed."

"Are you-?"

"Yeah. Yeah, it's fine. Sorry. Um, I'm just going to go downstairs. Goodnight, Hermione," he said, turning away and almost running down the steps.

He went into the living room, throwing himself onto the couch and smothering his face in his hands. He really needed to get a grip, to get back to sleep, but he couldn't. Sure, he had overreacted and Hermione probably thought that he was nuts, but the lingering feeling of fear, both from his dream and from seeing her missing was keeping him alert.

Suddenly, the dark room was lit by several of the lamps. He sat up and saw Hermione tossing her wand on a nearby chair before she looked around. Once she saw him, she came around the back of the couch and stood right in front of him.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, "I told you to go back to bed."

Hermione snorted. "I believe I can do whatever I want, Ron. And what I want is to know what in the name of Merlin is wrong with you."

She put her hands on her hips and looked at him sternly. "You were standing in the doorway, looking frightened over something, but you won't say what, and then you run away from me and you think I'm going to go to sleep?"

He shrugged, not meeting her eyes. "I had hoped."

She rolled her eyes. "Move over," she added, nodding at his stretched out body.

"What?"

"Move over," she said again. He scrambled up into a sitting position, moving back against the arm of the sofa and she sat down on the edge next to him, facing him and still looking at him with a mixture of annoyance and worry.

"Alright," he said. "Now what?"

"How about you act normal for a moment?"

He stared at her, the lingering fear from his dream competing with that ever present feeling of happiness that appeared whenever he saw her. The combination led up to one conclusion.

"How about I do what I really want to do?"

"And what's that?" she asked him.

"What else?" he replied, before leaning over and pressing his lips to hers.

There was an edge in the way Ron was kissing her, Hermione could feel it. Something different than before. Not as sweet as they usually shared, or even the heated and frantic ones from the night before. This was more…desperate and unyielding. As if he was afraid she was going to disappear before he would have the chance to do this. It was scaring her, but she didn't want him to try to hide what was bothering him. She broke away from him.

"Ronald Weasley," she said firmly, "if this was all just a trick to get me onto the couch with you, you will never, _ever_, get the second part of your break back."

Much to Hermione's relief, his face finally broke into a smile.

"That's not it," he said, shaking his head. "But just so I know for the future…would it really be this easy?"

She glared at him. "Don't make me regret coming down here. Really, what is wrong? You're honestly worrying me."

He grimaced. "Sorry. I didn't mean to go trying to find you. But I couldn't help it. I just needed to see you."

"Not that I don't like seeing you too, but why in the middle of the night?"

Shifting uncomfortably, he looked away from her. "Don't laugh, alright, I know it's stupid."

Hermione waited patiently. It was odd, to have him coming to her with something that was obviously upsetting him. Usually she just knew that he was upset and she would automatically comfort him and he would let her. But this time, he had come to her, just as she had gone to him so much over the year. It was a little bit daunting and unfamiliar, but she still felt a sense of gratefulness and relief that she could be there for him.

"I had a bad dream," he told her quietly. "And it really shook me up, so I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"You had a nightmare?" she repeated.

"Yeah. About the night that Fred…you know. But before that…" he looked up at her with weary eyes. "It was about that night at the Malfoy's."

Hermione sucked in a breath. That wasn't what she had been expecting. "Oh," she managed to squeak out.

"I'm sorry," he said hastily, reaching out and covering her hand with his. "I shouldn't mention it. I mean, yeah, I had a nightmare about it, but you were the one who-" he winced. "Sorry, I shouldn't have brought this up. I didn't – "

"It's alright, Ron," she said over him. "It's not like you're the only one who has nightmares about that night."

His paused, clutching her hand tighter. "You do too?"

"Of course I do," she said, squeezing his hand back, unsure of who was comforting who now. "That's not really anything I'm going to ever forget, no matter what I want anyone to believe."

"I'm never going to forget it either," he sighed. "That was one of the worst nights of my life."

"I could imagine," she agreed. "Being trapped down there in the cellar, having to watch Wormtail being suffocated. Not to mention trying to save Dean and Luna and Mr. Ollivander. And – what?" she faltered. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Ron was staring at her in clear disbelief. "Hermione," he asked her slowly, "do you really think I gave a damn about all that?"

"I don't-"

"No," he said, shaking his head slowly, "none of that mattered to me. I mean, it did, but that wasn't the worst of it."

He reached out and held her firmly by both arms. "The worst part of it was what happened to you. You were up there with Bellatrix and the only thing I could hear was you screaming. I've never felt so hopeless in my entire life. Or so terrified."

"Ron," she breathed, "I- I didn't –"

"What, didn't think I felt that way? Are you kidding? Hermione, I knew what that evil woman was capable of. Or what about the fact that you were up there with Greyback? The only thought in my mind was to find a way out of that bloody cellar and get back to you."

Hermione frowned slightly, as if she had just realized something.

"Did you call my name?" she asked him, curiously. "I mean, when you were in the cellar. Did you ever shout out my name?"

"Well, actually, yeah. It wasn't like I thought you could answer me or anything, but I kept doing it. It was about all I could do, really."

"You did," she said slowly. "Then that really was you I heard."

Ron's eyes went wide. "You- you could hear me?"

She glanced away from him, a far away look on her face as she remembered. "I wasn't sure at the time. The way she was yelling at me and I was just trying to think of something, _anything_, that would maybe get us out of there, or at least the rest of you out of there. I thought that I had to be imagining it, that it must've been in my head because there was no way I could be hearing you, the real you, through all of that pain."

She looked back at him. "But I could. I did. And even through all of the pain, and trying to think of a story, and hoping against all hope that somehow the rest of you could escape, there was a part of me that forced me to fight against the curse. For you."

"For me?" he asked her numbly.

"I knew I had to get back to you," she said simply, reaching out and placing a hand gently against his cheek as she smiled softly. "And if anything, it was so I could get you to calm down, stop shouting at me, and find a way to get yourself out."

"You wanted to come _calm me down_?!" Ron exclaimed in exasperation, gripping her arms almost painfully. "You were up there getting effing _tortured_ and I didn't know whether you were going to _die_ or be so badly cursed that you would go mad and not remember any of us anymore or…or…I didn't know what the _hell_ else…and all you wanted to do was _stop me yelling at you_?!"

"Shh!" she hissed at him. "Ron, you're going to wake everyone up!"

"I don't care about anyone else! I care about _you_! I could have lost you that night! I would never have been able to fight with you again or see you smile again or tell you how I felt about you or…or…or anything!"

"Ron," she said firmly, now placing both of her hands on his shoulders and looking him in the eye. "I _know_. I know how you felt. It was the same thing I was feeling every single day. Everytime we had a close call or one of us got hurt or when we were fighting at Hogwarts. I felt the same thing. But _please_ stop yelling."

He glared at her, but lowered his voice all the same. "Fine. But knowing that all you cared about was me when you were being tortured doesn't really make me feel that great to be honest."

"Well, knowing all you cared about was me instead of trying to get everyone else out doesn't ease my guilt either," she shot back. "You could have died trying to save me."

"You could have died _period_!"

"But I didn't."

"You could have," he said, his voice going softer. "And then what would I have done? How could I have ever forgiven myself? Really, Hermione, I'm serious."

And he was. He was fixing her with such an intense gaze that she was almost hypnotized.

"I wasn't back in the cellar in my dream," he told her abruptly. "I was right there in the room, watching her hurt you, but unable to do a thing about it. Everything was a hundred times worse. And then it changed. It was back to the night when Fred died, except that this time, the explosion killed you both. Both times I was right there, but couldn't do a damn thing to help you. And I know that you know what that's like, but bloody hell, that doesn't mean it doesn't still scare the daylights out of me!"

"You did help me," she told him, reaching out a stroking his face gently. "You got me out of the Malfoy's place and to Shell Cottage. You were the first person I saw when I woke up there. You were _there_, Ron. That's all I've ever needed from you, I've told you."

"I need you too, Hermione," he muttered. "Because that night at the Malfoy's made me think of a life without you, and I know I couldn't handle it."

"Because without me, who would stop you from yelling?" she said smiling.

"You know," he said, raising his eyes to the ceiling. "I would appreciate it if you didn't make fun of me when I'm spilling my guts out to you."

"Sorry," she laughed. "Please, continue."

"No, I don't think I will now, thanks."

"Fine," she said, "then I guess I'll just go back to bed."

She had hardly moved an inch when Ron reached out and grabbed her tightly around the waist. He was beginning to really appreciate being stronger than her as he pulled her back against his chest, so that she was lying next to him as he stretched out on the couch.

"No," he said again, his lips brushing against her ear. "You have to stay with me. Possibly forever, but definitely for tonight."

"So this _was_ all a trick," Hermione commented, trying very hard to not let Ron see her face, which was flushing beautifully at what he had just said. _Forever…_

"Whatever works," he said softly, tightening his grip on her waist and brushing her hair gently behind her shoulder. As he did so, a mark on her neck caught his eye. A thin, pink line trailed along Hermione's skin; the place where Bellatrix had pressed the blade of a knife into her throat. The sight made his heart break, while in his mind he cursed Bellatrix Lestrange for ever coming near her…

Hermione sucked in a soft breath as she felt Ron gently smooth a single finger against the scar on her neck.

"Does it hurt?" he whispered.

"No," Hermione gasped out. It was unreal, what his simple touch did to her sometimes. "No, it's just more of a reason for me to not do my hair up and keep it hidden."

"But you're sure it doesn't hurt?" he asked again, trailing several fingers around the wound. "I don't want to hurt you."

"I know," she said softly. "You won't."

He traced the mark again, slowly and deliberately, memorizing it, knowing how it got there, and vowing to never let anything hurt her again. Before he could stop himself, he bowed his head and kissed the scar softly.

Hermione bit her lip at the feel of the kiss. She knew he wanted to make it go away; it made her wish he didn't feel so bad over it.

"Thank you," she muttered, before she lost her nerve. "It feels better." She felt Ron smile slightly against her throat and then move away and rest his head on her shoulder.

They stayed quiet for awhile, not moving at all, aside from the occasional shift into a more comfortable position for themselves. For Ron to brush his lips softly by Hermione's ear, or for her to bring one of his hands up so she could kiss his palm before returning it to her waist. They were simple comforts, but they were slowly easing them both from their high intensity conversation into a more soothing atmosphere.

"Ron?" Hermione asked, a thought coming to her when the air in the room was less tense and finally at a pleasant and familiar calm.

"Yeah?"

"Well…now don't laugh or anything…but I've been thinking about it, and I wanted to ask you…"

"What is it?" he said, bending his head slightly so that he could kiss her cheek.

"What exactly are we?"

He paused for a second. "Well," he said seriously, "I think that we would be considered human, but if that doesn't work –"

"Ron," she said, "really." She turned onto her back so that she could see him, their faces mere inches apart, their bodies pressing close together on the cushions. "What _are_ we? You and me together?"

He considered this for a moment, knowing what she meant, for he had vaguely been wondering the same thing for several nights.

"Well," he said thoughtfully. "We've faced so many mental things together, finally ending with the defeat of You-Know-Who. We've fessed up a lot about how we feel about each other. And I think we've effectively ruined any shot at continuing a non-physical relationship." He emphasized the point by bringing one hand up to her mouth and traced the outline of her lips. Hermione closed her eyes, drinking in the sensation.

"To anyone else," he continued, "I guess you'd look at all that and conclude that we're, you know, together. Boyfriend, girlfriend sort of together."

Hermione opened her eyes again, unable to hide the skepticism in her voice. "So is that what you want me to call you? My boyfriend?"

To her amusement, Ron looked alarmed. "What? And give my brothers such wide possibilities for embarrassment? Definitely not," he told her firmly.

"Good," she said. "Because honestly, you're a lot more than that to me."

"Really?" Ron asked, smiling happily. "How much more?"

"You already know," she said, blushing slightly, but continuing all the same. "You mean everything to me."

"But you're not my girlfriend?" he said, with a laugh.

"Nope," she said. "Not your girlfriend. I'm just…yours," she concluded. And as she said it, she knew that she had found the word that fit. Ron was looking at her with such gentleness in his eyes that she could've sworn she felt herself melt slightly.

"You're mine," he said, his eyes alight with excitement as the same feeling of comfort at the idea swelled around him. "And me?"

"You're mine, Ron," she said beaming. "Obviously."

They smiled softly at each other, letting their words sink in a fully wrap around their minds. They didn't have to label themselves as anything. They weren't a couple or going out. They didn't have to be boyfriend or girlfriend, soul mates or lovers. None of that could truly express what had been true for years. They didn't just belong with each other, they belonged _to_ each other.

"'Course," Ron said after a moment, "I think we could spare everyone else the details. If anyone asks we can just say we're together. They can work out what it means themselves."

"That sounds good," Hermione said, snuggling closer into Ron's chest and he rested his cheek on the top of her head. "But I'll bet that they won't have to work on it so hard if we continue to go around kissing each other."

Ron chuckled. "Yeah, I guess they won't have to strain themselves, 'cause I have no plans to ever stop kissing you."

"And I thought things would be awkward between us in the beginning," she laughed softly, tracing odd shapes up and down his arm, making his head spin.

"Hermione, there was no time for it to be awkward after we kissed. We got to skip that entire step. And quite frankly, I'm not complaining over it. It's still nice to finally have something easy in our lives." he said with a grin.

"It is," Hermione admitted. "And we had nearly seven years of awkward, there's no point in drawing it out, right?"

"Exactly," he sighed, "no need to hold back anymore."

"Maybe a bit," she corrected, looking up at him, "I doubt your family needs to see us snogging all the time. They'll already have Ginny and Harry for that."

"Gits," he said plainly. "They'll ruin it for all of us if Mum catches them at it."

"Oh, as if this," Hermione indicated their embrace and close proximity on the couch, "isn't going to cause a family scandal?"

"Only if we're caught," Ron said. A bold look suddenly crossed his face and in an instant, he had leaned down and kissed Hermione in the same way from the night before.

"What _are_ you doing?" she asked when he broke away, cursing her voice for sounding that high. She had to admit, she would never get over the feel of Ron kissing her.

"Seeing how much I can get away with before we're caught," he said simply, kissing her lips again before moving across her cheek and down her jaw.

Hermione laughed, the sound reverberating against Ron's lips, making him close his eyes with pleasure. "Ronald Weasley, you are so immature."

"I know," he said seriously, leaning back. "That's why you're here to stop me."

"And if I don't?" she challenged, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him over to her before she kissed him hard.

She released him, and they gazed intently at each other as the room went still.

"Then this will be entirely your fault in the morning," Ron finally choked out.

All Hermione could manage was an agreeing nod, before they both leaned in and met each others lips again and again and again.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Fluff: It does a body good. ;) I'll admit up front: whenever I think I have the chance of writing a pure Ron/Hermione chapter, then darn it I will take it! 

By the way, this was Part One of your double-dose of fluff. Next is Part Two, before the actual funeral, which is the entirety of Chapter 13. So as I mentioned before, enjoy the fluff now before things get too sad…


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** J.K. Rowling owns all the Harry Potter-ness of my story.

**Everyday From Right Now  
**_Chapter 12  
_By pacifickay

* * *

The distant clanking of the ghoul that lived in the Weasley's attic was the sound that finally stirred Hermione awake. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked blearily around, not sure why she wasn't met with the usual pictures that decorated Ginny's walls. She also wasn't sure why her pillow suddenly felt much longer and firmer than usual. However, as she glanced above her, she was able to figure it all out at once.

She wasn't resting on top of her pillow in the bed in Ginny's room. Hermione was still on the couch and the pillow she was lying on top of was actually Ron.

Hermione looked at their position, recalling how they had ended up there. There had been a moment when they had stopped kissing each other long enough that she had whispered that maybe they should go back upstairs to bed, only to be convinced by Ron that he didn't mind at all if she were to lay on top of him. Normally, that would've caused her to scold him mildly that he should be more mature, but all it took was another kiss and the rest of the world dissolved away from her. And sure enough, Ron had gently pulled her on top of him, holding her secure and kissing her goodnight.

Which was why she was sprawled across Ron's chest, her head tucked beneath his chin, their legs tangled together. He had one arm still wrapped around her waist, the other off the edge of the couch, fingers near the floor. Ron was still snoring slightly, the low rumbling echoing behind the slow beat of his heart.

Smiling, she rested her head back down against Ron's chest as last night's happenings began to flash back in her head. She and Ron had talked more about how they truly felt about each other. They had talked about what they were now; which quickly turned more playful, as though they knew that they couldn't stay serious for long. Not to mention, she thought happily, her fingers curling slightly into his shirt, how they had slipped back into their new activity of simply kissing each other until neither could keep a clear head anymore.

All she wanted was to lie there all morning in Ron's arms and never have to face the rest of what was sure to be a difficult day. But her reasoning caught up with her and she reluctantly decided to wake Ron up.

Gently shifting her weight so that she was able to prop herself up on one of her elbows, Hermione brought a hand up to Ron's face and brushed the hair away from his eyes. "Ron," she whispered. "Time to get up, Ron."

He muttered incoherently and shifted under her touch, his grip on her waist tightening. Hermione smiled.

"C'mon, Ron," she repeated, lowering her head and kissing his neck. "We need to get up or we're going to get caught."

Ron raised his hand from the floor and rubbed at his face sleepily, finally opening his eyes and meeting Hermione's. For a second he seemed confused, but then he blinked and he grinned slowly.

"Hey," he told her.

"Good morning," she smiled back.

"You stayed," he said, partly surprised, brushing her hair softly. "I thought for sure you'd wake up and go back up to Ginny's room. Avoid any trouble."

Hermione kissed him softly, before giving in to her heart again and snuggling back against his chest. "And miss the opportunity to wake you up? Not a chance."

"That's good," Ron said, closing his eyes again as he held her tight in both arms. "Because you're a right better sight to wake up to than Harry. I swear, the temper he can get in the mornings is -"

Ron fell abruptly silent, his eyes flying open and looking at the ceiling above him in fright. Hermione didn't need to ask why, because she too had frozen, raising herself from Ron and looking anxiously over towards the stairs. They had both heard the footsteps on the stairs and then came Mrs. Weasley's voice.

"…the others are up, Arthur. I'll wake the girls and then go down and start breakfast; we're going to need to eat quickly."

"Ron," Hermione hissed. "Get on the floor."

"Wha-?"

"_Now_!" she insisted, scrambling off him and pushing him towards the edge of the sofa. Caught slightly off guard by her force, Ron was dangling awkwardly off the couch, for his legs were still tangled with Hermione's.

"Ginny, Hermione," they could hear Mrs. Weasley knock on Ginny's door. "Time to wake up." And then she was coming down the rest of the stairs.

Knowing there was only seconds left, Hermione unceremoniously kicked at Ron's limbs that were still entwined with hers. Ron was freed and sent to the floor with a loud thump. Before he could utter any sound of pain, Hermione grabbed a cushion and tossed it down over his head before sprawling herself back down on the couch, turning her back on Ron and closing her eyes tightly, just as Mrs. Weasley walked into the room.

Mrs. Weasley paused as she caught a glimpse of red hair and an arm peaking around the bottom corner of the couch. Raising an eyebrow she walked over and looked down at the scene before her.

She couldn't help but smile. This explained why the door to Ron's room had been slightly ajar, for he was down here. And with Hermione, of course. She recalled how the other night she had woken up for a moment and had gotten a faint smell of tea and could hear low voices and now realized that something similar must have happened again. She could hardly disapprove, because it was about time these two had finally decided to act on their feelings for each other. And she knew that Hermione was smart enough to not let anything inappropriate happen – that obviously explained why her son was on the floor.

Bending down, she gave Ron's shoulder a light shake. "Ron, dear, time to get up."

Ron rolled over and looked up at his mother, who was, he was relieved to see, smiling.

"Hi, Mum," he said, grinning sheepishly. It wasn't like he was going to try to make excuses for himself, especially when she didn't even seem upset.

"Get ready for breakfast," she told him, patting his shoulder and heading towards the kitchen. "And wake Hermione up as well."

Ron breathed out a sigh of relief before getting to his knees and leaning over Hermione.

"That really hurt," he told her. "I'm going to have a bruise where you kicked me, I just know it."

Hermione rolled back over, her face slightly flushed. "Sorry," she said. "But I didn't know how she'd react."

"Apparently, not so bad," Ron said shrugging. "She seemed pleased, to be honest. Maybe we can do it again tonight."

"Not likely," Hermione said, sitting up. "That was too close."

"Scared?" he teased her, getting to his feet and extending a hand to help her up as well.

She scowled at him, though she still took his hand and rose up in front of him. "No. I just don't think it would be good if we got caught by your mother."

"You're only saying that because I told you last night that it would've been _your_ fault had she caught us," Ron protested. "Had it been my entire idea, would I have ended up on the floor?"

"No," Hermione said, smiling up at him. "I would've let her yell at you."

"Thanks a bunch, Hermione," Ron said rolling his eyes. "From now on then, if you don't suggest anything, then nothing's going to happen between us."

Hermione smirked. "As if you could hold back kissing me."

"I did for years," he shot back at her, but he too was smiling, knowing that he was lying. "Maybe I can hold it in all over again."

"Well, I couldn't," she told him, reaching up and pulling his face to hers, kissing him sweetly.

"Urgh," said a voice from the stairs. "Do you two have to do that now? I haven't even eaten yet."

"Be nice, Harry," Ginny laughed, coming down behind him.

"Sorry, Harry," Ron said when he pulled away from Hermione and looked over at him. "There's no war going on anymore, so get used to it."

* * *

Within the next few minutes, everyone began to end up in the kitchen. Charlie and Percy had trooped in with their good mornings, and eventually George and Mr. Weasley came down as well. Mrs. Weasley served the heavy plates and everyone gathered around the table and ate. And while they continued to talk amongst themselves as best they could, an unpleasant feeling of sadness lingered in the air, turning what would have been loud laughter and conversation into nervous and jerky stuttering. 

All too soon the plates were clear and despite the fact that any of them could have easily used magic to clean up, they all set about stacking plates and washing dishes; anything to push off the inevitable for just another single second.

As it neared ten o'clock, Bill and Fleur arrived and a pale faced Mrs. Weasley set the others tasks to complete. Much like the previous year for the wedding, there was little time for talk and people were continually split up from each other. There was cleaning to be done, for those who would stay for the small, planned reception after the funeral. Mrs. Weasley and Fleur began tackling the food, and Mr. Weasley, Bill and Charlie headed out to the pitch in order to clear the yard. Percy, Ron and George had shut themselves up in George's bedroom, leaving Harry, Ginny, and Hermione to wait to be called upon for other jobs; otherwise they sat restlessly together in the living room.

"Ginny," Harry said gently, grabbing her hand as she paced past his chair for the hundredth time, "you're going to wear out the carpet."

Ginny sighed. "I've changed my mind. This waiting is going much worse than the actual planning. What time is it now?" She had been asking at least five times an hour.

"It's almost one," Hermione replied, from behind the book she was reading on the sofa. "Almost time for the guests to arrive."

"What are you reading, Hermione?" Harry asked of the unfamiliar cover in her hands, stopping Ginny from resuming her pacing by pulling her down into his lap.

"_The Standard Book of Spells: Grade 7_," Hermione replied. "I bought it before we went after the Horcruxes, its how I learned some of those other spells, but I never finished it."

"So you're only finishing it?" Harry questioned her, though he noted that she was holding her wand in her hand and had a feeling he already knew the answer. Sure enough Hermione bit her lip before lowering the book slowly to look at him.

"Well, not exactly," she admitted. "I'm sort of, you know, studying. I was thinking that if Professor McGonagall were to offer it to us, I think I'd like to sit the N.E.W.T.'s."

"I figured you would," Harry said, leaning his head against Ginny's, who had submitted to snuggling in closer to his chest. "I haven't decided yet though."

"It isn't final," she clarified. "Just something I'm thinking about."

They fell into a silence, made slightly calmer now that Ginny was resting in Harry's arms. The sight made Hermione smile, but at the same time caused her thoughts to drift to Ron, hoping that he was alright and not taking anything harder than Ginny was…

* * *

"This is bollocks!" Ron shouted, throwing his hands up in anger. "Seriously, I can't do this!" 

"_You_ can't do this?" Percy glared at him. "What, you think I'm going to be down there handing out free balloons?"

"Can you two just give it a rest for a second?" George muttered from behind his hands. "Honestly, let's just finalize what we're doing and _then_ we can think about how hard it's actually going to be."

"Brilliant pep-talk, George," Ron groaned, sitting heavily beside him on his bed.

"Thanks. I was thinking of taking up motivational speaking as a side job from the shop."

The three of them all snorted. It had been like this for hours, the three of them talking and planning the finer points of what was actually going to be said and done for Fred. A pattern had developed: they would come up with an idea and calmly talk it out until one of them let their grief catch up with them. That then would lead to a few heated words and arguments. But before anything could escalate too high, all it took was a feeble, but well placed joke and the tension would snap.

"Right," Percy said, "then one last time. I'm going to say my bit first, nothing too long. Then that'll lead to Ron and then to you, George."

"And when I'm done, that's when Lee will come through with his bit, alright?"

"Right," Ron and Percy agreed. A second passed, and then George asked the inevitable question.

"What are you two going to say?"

"Well," Percy began in a slightly stiff tone. "Thanks to Ron's cheating –"

"I did not cheat! It fell out of my hand and –"

"- when we flipped the Galleon, it was so that I get to talk about what actually happened."

"At least you have an idea of what you're going to say," Ron shot back. "I get to wing it, because Merlin knows if I were to trying planning it out, I'd screw up anyway."

Ron ran both his hands through his hair so violently that it stood on end when he was through. He was still just learning how to express his feelings, and even then, that was with Hermione. How the bloody hell could he manage it at his brother's funeral?

"Easy, Ron," George said. "You'll be fine."

"We have about an hour," Percy said, checking his watch. "Anything else we should cover or are we done?"

"We're done," George confirmed. "Now we can just sit back and prepare ourselves for the worst. Especially if our dear Auntie Muriel decides to disgrace us with her presence today."

Ron and Percy headed out of the room together. Percy decided to go out at find Charlie, Bill and Mr. Weasley, but Ron wanted nothing more than to escape for what little time he could. He went straight up into his room, sitting not on his bed, but on the floor beside it, leaning back and closing his eyes.

_What am I going to do?_ He thought to himself. _What can I say that isn't going to just sound stupid? Imagine Mum's face if I say the wrong thing.  
_  
But then he recalled George's face on the day when they had first tried making a decision about what to do with Fred. There was no comparison between what everyone else was feeling and what George was going through. To this day, his smiles were less frequent and his laughs a bit less loud, even when it was obvious that he tried so hard. George had said that whatever Ron came up with would be fine. And if George liked it, then it was enough.

That was why Ron had agreed to do it. He wanted to help George in the way a brother should. That had been why he had been so watchful of him. No one had given the idea, it had just happened. He had no idea if anyone noticed it or not, but it was something that he had told himself he was going to do. For as long as it took until…well…until what he didn't know. But he was going to do it.

There was then a soft knock on the door, bringing him back from his thoughts.

"Yeah?" Ron called, opening his eyes and looking towards the door.

"It's me. Can I come in?"

Ron smiled. As if he'd say no to her. "'Course you can," he said, looking over expectantly as Hermione walked in, clutching a book under her arm and dressed in a neat skirt and top.

"Ginny told you about the 'No dress robes' rule?" Ron noted.

"Yes," Hermione said, coming close to him. "Who's idea was that?"

"Mine and George's," Ron said. "We remembered how much he hated getting dressed up at Bill and Fleur's wedding and figured we'd keep the same trend with this."

Hermione smiled. "That's good. At least it will be a lot cooler than having to wear robes, it's pretty warm out again."

She sat on the edge of the bed above Ron, not wanting to get her skirt dirty, her bare legs dangling beside him. Ron suddenly gained a new appreciation for the lack of robes and had to focus very hard on focusing straight ahead, lest he be tempted to look anywhere else.

"You look nice, though," he said quickly, his ears beginning to tinge that familiar pink. Had it been this hot in his room the entire time?

Hermione smiled down at the top of his head. "Thanks."

They were quiet for a moment, each thinking of something extremely different.

_You're being a clod_, Ron scolded himself firmly. _Really, it's not like you've never seen her in a dress before, or in shorts. There's nothing new here, nothing's different. She's just in a skirt. A skirt that is showing her legs and making her look – shut up!_

"Ron?" she asked him. "Are you going to be alright today?"

"I-" Ron said, pulling himself quickly from his other thoughts. "I-er-yeah. Yes," he said clearly. "I think so."

"You're sure?" Hermione insisted, taking his stumbling as something else. She reached over and brushed his cheek with the back of her hand. "You don't want me to go sneak you some Firewhiskey like Harry needed?"

Ron squeezed his eyes tightly shut. Her touch, combined with the playful teasing to make him feel better and the fact that he was trying so very hard to not look at the creamy skin of her shins, was doing a number on him.

"No," he said, hoping against all hope that his voice wouldn't go higher or crack. "It's going to be rough, of course, but it's for Fred. He wouldn't have wanted anything too fancy."

"Do you know what you're going to say yet?" she asked him gently, shifting slightly on the bed, so that she was even closer to him. She vaguely hoped that he didn't mind that her leg was brushing against his shoulder. "George said you were a little worried."

"You talked to George?" _Keep her talking, keep distracting me, pretend that she has jeans on. Jeans and robes and a cloak. _

Hermione nodded, absentmindedly smoothing the neck of Ron's shirt. "I went to his room first to see where you were. He mentioned you weren't sure what to say yet."

"So…" he lost his voice. _Blimey, I really can't think when she does that. _"Um-so-you- did you come here to help me with it? Is that what the book's for?"

"What? Oh," she blushed, not sure if she wanted to tell him her plans just yet. "No. I was just reading that earlier, forgot to leave it in Ginny's room. No, I just – well – I just wanted to come find you."

"Really?" he asked her.

She blushed even harder. "That's not bad is it? If you want to be alone, I can –"

"No, it's not that. I just- that's nice to hear is all." _She came looking for me…maybe…no, stop it!_

"Always so surprised," she teased, nudging him with her knee. His hands clenched into fists, but she didn't see it. "You got to come see me last night, so I get to come see you today."

_Oh, bugger, I don't care anymore!_

"I see," Ron said, his voice suddenly soft. "And what were you intending to do exactly, now that you've found me?"

Hermione hesitated. If she was honest with herself, she was getting so used to being around him, that when he was away, even for the slightest moment, it didn't feel right. "Well," she said, her voice high. "I was thinking that you were going to be upset and would maybe want some company."

At first, he didn't respond, and Hermione thought maybe she had said the wrong thing. She didn't sound clingy, did she? She just had missed him; that was all. Even in her own mind it had no rationale, but it was how she felt without him. But maybe he thought she was nuts and he was just thinking of a way to tell her so.

But finally, Ron turned his head and looked up at her, the look in his eyes so exciting that Hermione felt her breath catch. She was beginning to recognize that look. It was safe and confident, telling her that they were done talking, done playing, done with reason all together.

"I'm not upset," he said, slowly and clearly. "But-"

Without breaking her gaze, Ron slowly raised his hand and in one agonizingly slow movement, he placed his hand right above her knee and trailed it all the way down her leg, finishing by curling his fingers around her ankle.

"-I could use some company."

Hermione stopped breathing and her eyes went wide. Up until now, the most that she and Ron had done was kiss and perhaps drive each other crazy with lingering touches. But this…_this_…this was not something she was used to. This was something that she had only thought of in her deepest dreams. This deliberate contact was so foreign, that she knew she should be terrified of it. But she wasn't. How could she ever be afraid of something she knew she wanted?

"Ron," she squeaked out. What she knew she should tell him was that he was out of his mind. What she said was, "I – I don't think – I – we have to - not now."

Ron nodded. "I know," he said honestly, much calmer than she was. "It shouldn't be now."

"Right," Hermione whispered. "We don't want to do anything stupid."

"No," Ron muttered, but all the same, his fingers trailed nonsense patterns back up her bare skin to settle on her knee. "You don't do stupid."

"Exactly," she breathed, slowly bringing her legs up and away from him, curling them under her. "I'm not stupid."

Ron sighed and looked away. Hermione winced and then stretched out on her back on the bed. She bit her lip, trying hard to not cry. She hated this part of their relationship. The fact that they were always so close, _so close_, to having more, but still having to hold back. It was like reliving the night where they were kissing for the first time, and then Harry had to remind them about the war. It was like this morning when she was in Ron's arms or the other night when they had finally kissed each other in that heated way they had always wanted, before reason caught up with them and ended it. Something would stop them from going further than kissing. Just like always. Just like now.

Or so she thought.

Suddenly, Ron was on his feet and he was leaning over her, kissing her so hard that she was being pushed back into the mattress.

"I'm stupid though," he gasped out when he broke away, his breathing just as ragged as he had left Hermione's. "I'm really stupid."

"No, you're not," Hermione mumbled, holding tightly to his arms, which were propped on either side of her.

"I can be though," he assured her, kissing her everywhere within reach. "And if that's what its going to take right now, then I'll be a total idiot for as long as you'll let me."

"I shouldn't let you," Hermione choked out, speaking both to Ron and herself. "Honestly, the amount of things that are wrong with this moment. We could be seen, we have to go help everyone get ready. Ron, we still have to sit through Fred's funeral. We can't be thinking of ourselves right now."

"Hermione," Ron said, his face very close as he met his eyes with hers. "For the first time in a very long time, I'm not thinking about anything else. Not Horcruxes, not trying to fight You-Know-Who, not going back to school, and not even about Fred. All I'm thinking about right now is you."

They begged and pleaded with each other with their eyes. Hermione for him to stop persuading her and Ron for her to believe what he was telling her.

"Please," Ron whispered, brushing his nose along her cheek. "Can't I just forget about all the horrible things for a bit and just focus on how happy I am with you?"

"Great, Ron," Hermione said weakly, reaching up and cupping his face in her hands. "How am I supposed to tell you no after that?"

He shrugged and smiled apologetically, but his eyes never lost their intensity. "You still could."

"But I won't" Hermione concluded, pulling his face down and meeting his lips eagerly with her own.

It was like kissing each other for the first time again; those same feelings of disbelief and elation flooding through their bodies. So quickly it was like he had been there the whole time, Ron was on the bed, holding himself above Hermione, trying not to crush her.

"I'm not hurting you am I?" he asked, between their desperate kisses.

"No," she said, trying instead to pull him closer to her as she kissed him deeply. She felt him smile against her mouth, and very softly, he allowed himself to sink gently on top of her. The feel of her right up against him, sent Ron's brain into a numb fog, his fingers trembling as he brought them up to touch her face.

Hermione too was feeling the mingled sense of bliss and fear at what they were doing. Knowing that they had merely a few precious moments to make this last, she decided to let instinct take over, putting herself at the mercy of whatever Ron's touch would make her feel.

She was in that place almost at once, as Ron let emotion drive him, as one hand stayed on her cheek, but the other trailed across her arm and over her elbow. He tickled past her ribs and down her side, finally brushing against her hip.

"You know," he suddenly breathed; his voice deep and warm in her ear. "Had you not been wearing that skirt, this wouldn't have happened."

"Consider the second half of your break fulfilled," Hermione murmured back.

"Done," he laughed, kissing her mouth again before he tilted her face up and settled on her neck.

Hermione raised her hands and held him there, fingers twined in his hair, unable to hold back the soft sigh that escaped her lips. She then slowly trailed them down over his shoulders and back across to his front. Raking her fingers down across his chest, just as she had done days ago in her dormitory, she smiled in victory as it caused Ron to hiss against her skin.

"You're supposed to be the smart one," he reminded her, his breathing unsteady. "Not giving me every reason to keep this up."

"You really ought to stop talking," she told him, emphasizing the point by grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him back down to her, capturing his lips again.

It was exhilarating, Ron marveled inwardly, to be getting everything he wanted, yet still not having enough. He was kissing Hermione like he had been meaning to kiss her for a long time, but still not as much as he would've liked. Any other time, he would have never dared it, at least not without asking her first, no matter how awkward a conversation it would have been. But after every thing else so far, every fiber in his body told him to just put faith in the moment and do it…so he did.

Hermione's fingers clenched even tighter into Ron's shirt as she felt the unexpected warmth of his breath as he parted her lips with his own. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before and for a second she scolded herself for going this long without kissing him like _this_. They breathed the same air with the same ragged breaths as their mouths continued to move eagerly against each other.

There was only so much more they could do, before the line between kissing and something more was crossed. And just as Ron made up his mind, just as the very tip of his tongue had found the outline of Hermione's lips and she had gasped softly and prepared herself for whatever was about to happen…

"Ron? Hermione? Are you up here? Mum says its time to – oh!"

Hermione and Ron froze as reality came crashing back down onto them. Fearfully, they slowly broke away from each other as they both looked over to the doorway to see Ginny staring at them, with a look of utter shock on her face.

"Ginny," Ron said weakly, his entire face red. Looking down, he saw that he was still very much on top of Hermione and he winced before he gently released his grip on her and sat up. Hermione let go of the front of Ron's shirt, and slid herself out from under him, her hair messier than usual and face burning just as much as Ron's.

"Yes, Ginny?" Hermione said, trying hard to sound offhand, but knowing that she sounded shaky and out of breath. "What was your mum saying?"

"She-um-she-" Ginny swallowed and took a deep breath, not looking at either of them. "-she wanted me to come-er-get you. It's almost time to go down to the paddock."

"Alright," Hermione said, taking a steady breath. "We'll be right down."

Ginny nodded and turned away. She paused at the door, and turned back to finally look at them. She opened her mouth to speak, shut it, opened it again, and then shook her head and all but ran from the room.

Hermione buried her face in her hands, and Ron awkwardly got to his feet, straightening the collar of his shirt nervously.

"Um, Hermione?" he asked. "Do I look alright?"

She looked up at him through her fingers for a moment, before lowering her hands and sighing.

"Your hair," she said, getting to her feet as well and reaching up to the top of his head. "Hang on, I'll fix it."

She moved slowly, not fixing her eyes to his, as if she were afraid to look at him. Ron honestly couldn't blame her; he himself had his eyes closed as he tried to regain his breathing and not focus on how dangerously close Hermione still was to him.

"There," she said, her voice very quiet and cheeks still pink.

Opening his eyes, Ron's gaze locked with hers and a dozen different emotions and thoughts silently whirled between them.

"Hermione-" Ron began, not knowing where to begin or what to say, as he reached a hesitant hand out to her. "I-"

Hermione took a step back, dodging his touch. "We should go," she whispered, her eyes filled with so much conflict, it almost hurt to see it.

Ron looked like he wanted to say something, but for once thought better of it. Nodding, he took a step aside and gestured for Hermione to walk ahead of him. Taking a very deep breath, Hermione headed out of the room, Ron following close behind.

_

* * *

_

**Author's Note:** ...For those of you enjoying the ridiculous amounts of sap and fluff, I'm sorry to say we take a break now. To those of you who are ready for something more than kissing (buzz-kill! lol) then you'll be happy to know that that begins next chapter and carries on for a few chapters. And it begins with Fred's funeral, so bring tissues.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** Mine? No. J.K. Rowling's? Yes.

**Everyday From Right Now  
**_Chapter 13  
_By pacifickay

* * *

"Did you find them?" Mr. Weasley asked Ginny, slightly frazzled, as she came back down into the kitchen.

"Yeah. Yeah they're – um- they're just finishing…finishing getting ready. They'll be right down."

Mr. Weasley nodded and continued to talk in an undertone to Mrs. Weasley and Charlie, the others sitting around the table or hanging quietly along the walls. Only Harry had caught the odd tone of Ginny's voice and looked at her questioningly. Ginny only glanced at him and looked away with a swift shake of her head.

Within moments, Ron and Hermione came into the kitchen, one after the other. Harry smiled at them, but it quickly became a slight frown at their expressions. Hermione looked slightly pale and Ron's mouth was set in a firm line. Without another glance at Hermione, which struck Harry as the most confusing point, Ron headed straight for Percy and George, who both looked visibly relieved that their brother was there. Hermione came over to Harry and Ginny, but didn't speak to them and only stared down at her hands. Feeling that he was missing a key piece of information, Harry appealed to Ginny, but she was looking in the opposite direction of Hermione.

"Everyone's here," Bill said in a quiet voice. "Time to go."

There's was a bit of a light murmur of agreement as they all began to troop out the back door and into the yard. Once outside, Harry's eyes flashed ahead of him, to see Ron looking weakly back over his shoulder at Hermione. Turning his head quickly, he caught Hermione raise a corner of her mouth into a very weak smile of reassurance, before her expression fell again as she walked quietly behind their entire party.

"Ginny," Harry muttered quietly, taking a half a step closer to her so no one could overhear. "What's going on?"

Ginny glanced ahead of her at the back of Ron's head, and then sighed before she answered Harry. "I sort of walked in on Ron and Hermione together and I think I really freaked them out."

Harry frowned. He knew that must've been awkward for all involved, but this reaction to it was not adding up. "Well, it was bound to happen sometime," he began, still trying to figure it out. "You know they'll most likely do the same to us. Ron has a talent for it actually."

Ginny looked over at Harry and finally he could see the embarrassment written on her face. "It wasn't _only_ a kiss, Harry."

Harry stared at her in disbelief, as everything clicked. He opened his mouth, to say what he had no clue, but Ginny stopped him.

"As much as I want to talk about this, because I really think that's the only way I can have a laugh over it, now's not the time."

Harry shut his mouth with a snap and nodded. Ginny was right. They were drawing nearer to the Weasley's paddock and he could make out the dozens of rows already filled and others were moving to their seats.

"Alright," he assured her, reaching down and taking her hand in his own and squeezing it. "First things first, right?"

"Right," Ginny said with a resigned sigh, gripping Harry's hand tightly back as their group finally reached the site of Fred's funeral.

* * *

Glancing around at the crowd showed that nearly everyone had shown up to pay their last respects to Fred. The list of those invited included people from Diagon Alley, who knew Fred from the joke shop, a good deal of red-headed Weasley relatives, additional members from the Order, and a mass of Hogwarts students and teachers that filled nearly two dozen rows on their own.

As those still standing saw the Weasley's approaching, they all began to file into their seats. Luna was sitting with her father, who nervously avoided Harry's eye, and on her other side was Dean; followed by Seamus, Neville and his grandmother, and other Gryffindor's from previous and current years. Professors' Flitwick, Sprout and McGonagall were there, as was the entire D.A.; also present were Oliver Wood, Alicia Spinnet, and Angelina Johnson, who already had tears on her cheeks.

Two rows at the front of the crowd had been left open for the Weasley's and they began to settle themselves in. Hermione bit her bottom lip as the Weasley's and Harry began to arrange themselves in the seats. She recalled promising both herself and Ron the night before that she wasn't going to leave his side for a second. But after their separate walk down here, she faltered slightly as she stood waiting to see where she would sit. But it was quickly decided by Ron himself, who walked right up and reached out his hand to her, his eyes already pleading with hers.

"Please?" he mouthed silently.

Hermione stared back up at him, and knew in an instant that for anything else to happen other than them being together through this would have been laughable. She took his hand and he led her over to a seat next to him. Charlie, Bill, Fleur and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley ended up sitting in the second row, while the others moved for the first, mostly due to the fact that George, Percy, and Ron were set to talk. They sat at the end of the row, with Hermione next to Ron, and Ginny and Harry by her.

Everyone was finally situated, and a silence fell over the crowd as the same little wizard from the wedding and the Hogwarts memorial approached the front of the crowd. He didn't speak, but instead began a series of flourishes with his wand, as the actual set-up of the funeral began to take shape.

It was similar to the Hogwarts memorial, just on a smaller scale. The small wizard made another golden casket appear out of thin air, where it rested on a low podium at the front of the crowd. It landed with a soft thump, the lid opening slowly, where it stood empty and waiting.

"If you would please stand," the wizard said in his reedy voice. The crowd got to their feet and looked around. Just has he had done for Dumbledore, Hagrid was walking down the center aisle, carrying what looked to be a bundle of deep blue cloth. Hermione looked over Ginny's head and locked stricken gazes with Harry. They had both wondered about what was going to be done with Fred's body, but neither had wanted to press the matter. Hermione vaguely recalled Mr. Weasley thanking Professor McGonagall for something before they had left their office days ago and with a jolt of realization understood; they had obviously made arrangements to bring Fred home.

As Hagrid made his way up towards the podium, the enormity of the situation began to catch up to everyone in turn. Mrs. Weasley was already sobbing silently into Mr. Weasley's shoulder and Charlie couldn't seem to stop shaking. There were audible sniffs and gasps from all corners of the crowd. Harry was holding Ginny up by her waist, and she leaned heavily back into his chest, doing her best to stay on her feet. As tears sprung into her eyes, Hermione reached out and placed her hand on Ron's arm, which he immediately seized and held onto tightly.

Reaching the front, Hagrid laid Fred's body gently into the casket, smoothing out the wrinkles of fabric. He turned and gave a watery smile to the Weasley's before blowing his nose loudly in his spotted handkerchief and heading to his seat at the very back of the crowd. The little wizard waved his wand again and the lid fell closed with a quiet snap. He then bowed to Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had approached the front of the crowd, before he left to sit in his own seat on the side; everyone else followed his lead and took their seats as well.

Kingsley stood next to Fred' casket, looking down at it solemnly for a moment before raising a hand and placing it gently on top of the lid. Looking back up at the crowd, his deep and powerful voice washed over them.

"I had the immense honor of knowing Fred Weasley. He was everything you could ever ask of any young man. Whether joining dangerous missions in the name of fighting against Voldemort or simply causing those around him to break into laughter, Fred was never one to take anything lightly."

He looked over at the Weasley's and nodded. "As Minister of Magic, I offer my condolences and the award of the Order of Merlin, First Class, to Fred's memory. But as someone who knew and cared for him, I join you in your loss, sorrow, and hope that wherever Fred is now, he is happy and continuing to make those around him smile."

Kingsley looked back down at the coffin and patted it gently, before moving back to his seat. The crowd was still as an immensely pale-faced Percy replaced Kingsley at the front. Ron took a deep breath and held Hermione's hand even tighter.

"Up until a few days ago," Percy began in a determinedly steady voice, "I hadn't seen my family for the better part of a year. The last time left me with Christmas dinner on my glasses."

Quite unexpectedly, George uttered a small cough that was clearly covering a laugh. Percy glanced at him, and the ghost of a smile crossed his features before he continued.

"So when I arrived at Hogwarts the night of the battle with You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters, and was met with nearly half of my family, I was at first worried that they weren't going to take me back. But they did, which was more than I deserved. And it was Fred…Fred who welcomed me back first.

"Everything was so chaotic that I don't really know how it happened, but somehow, Fred and I met up in another corridor later in the battle and together took on the Death Eaters. It was amazing, to see my brother fighting along beside me, looking like there was no other placed he'd rather be in the world. That usually was Fred's element, being in the action."

Percy stopped and then drew a deep breath, his eyes glistening with tears. "His last act was taking down a Death Eater, before standing in a moment of peace with his two of his brothers and two of his friends. And while I still can't understand what saved the rest of us, but took him, I know he wouldn't have wanted us to feel guilty about it. Fred gave no more or less than everyone else who died fighting defending Hogwarts, and none of us should insult his sacrifice by feeling guilty over it. Fred wouldn't ever forgive us for that…and the last thing I would want to do is take him from the spotlight, because that is where he has always strived to be."

He looked down at the casket and finally let his tears fall. "You'll always be there in the spotlight, Fred," he concluded, before making his way back to his seat, where Bill leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his neck in a partial hug. There were very few dry eyes anymore.

Time paused for a heartbeat, in which Hermione wiped her eyes before looking up at Ron, knowing that it was his turn to speak. He was already looking down at her, his expression blank, eyes apprehensive. And somehow, Hermione knew what to do, as she placed a hand gently on his face and gave him a small smile.

Ron blinked and let out the heavy breath he had been holding as Hermione's warm palm touched his cheek. It gave him the courage and focus to do what he was about to do. A clear plan suddenly formed in his mind as he got to his feet, slowly letting go of Hermione's other hand and moving to the front of the crowd.

After a second in which Ron looked out at the mass of people who had come to pay their last respects to Fred, he began to speak. His voice had adopted that still unexpected but altogether gentle tone that he had somehow found over the past few days and it visibly relaxed the crowd; most notably, Mrs. Weasley, who raised her tear-streaked face from her husband's shoulder to watch her youngest son.

"I know I can't be the only one who's surprised to see me up here," Ron said, his face breaking into a reluctant smile. "I've never been one to comprehend feelings very well, most of you know that. And if you don't, ask Hermione, she'll tell you."

Hermione blushed, Harry rolled his eyes, and George smiled warmly at Ron as an unexpected, nervous chorus of giggles swept through the crowd. Ron seemed to draw even more confidence from this reaction as he continued.

"I expect even Fred is on the edge of his seat, wherever he is, ready to somehow get back at me if I mess this up." He looked at the casket beside him and shook his head. "But I'm not going to; I know what to say about you, Fred.

"I was the other brother there that night. It was me, Percy, and Fred. And like Percy said, I don't know how it ended up being us, but it was. And Percy already told you all about the last thing Fred did, so I won't repeat it. But I do want to tell you what Fred was saying to us. The last thing that Fred said was the beginnings of what most likely would've been a joke at Percy's expense."

Percy smiled through his tears, and he wasn't the only one. Though the tears were still present, more and more people were beginning to smile softly, and a few even giggled again, knowing that it was more than fitting that Fred went out with a joke.

"Percy had just told Thicknesse that he was going to be resigning," Ron continued, looking directly at George, knowing that this is would be important to him. "The look on Fred's face was so excited, he couldn't believe it. He told him, '_You actually _are_ joking, Perce. I don't think I've heard you joke since you were-_'"

Ron stopped abruptly, and those who didn't know why leaned forward in their seats, eager to hear what Fred had said, like George, or else were afraid that Ron wasn't going to be able to continue, like Ginny, who had raised her head from Harry's shoulder looking worried. But Percy, Hermione and Harry understood, and their smiles fell back into frowns.

Sighing, Ron finished, "That was a far as he got."

George slumped back into his chair glaring at the ground; other than that, no one else made a move or sound.

"But that's what Fred did, you know?" Ron continued, swiping quickly at his eyes and giving himself a small shake. "Always willing to fight for a friend, and as long as he found some laughs along the way, he was happy. I know that when he went, he was happy, and that's something to be thankful for.

"I'm proud of everything my brother ever did and I know that he would've rather died fighting than not fighting at all, but at the same time, I can't help but think that it really isn't fair that he didn't get to finish his final joke. But-"

He paused; the crowd was staring at him with rapt attention, his family wiping their faces and looking at him as if seeing him clearly for the first time.

"But-" Ron said, his voice now at its strongest point yet, "as long as we remember all the jokes that he did tell, remember everything he ever did for his friends and family, and just remember who Fred Weasley was…I think that one day, we'll be able to meet him and hear the end of his joke. Until then, we just have to keep laughing, 'cause that's what he would've wanted us to do."

Ron looked back down at the coffin, and a real smile lit his face. "I can't wait until I can hear the joke, Fred. Knowing you, it'll be a damn good one."

Walking back to his seat, Ron noticed how still the air had become and for a fleeting moment, he feared that they didn't like what he had said. But then suddenly, Percy was standing in front of him, gripping him in a tight hug. He was followed by Mrs. Weasley, who had left her seat to meet her son, her face radiating how proud she took his face in her hands and kissed him on the forehead.

After a few seconds, Ron had made it back to his seat; and even then Mr. Weasley and Ginny leaned over so they could each grasp his shoulder tightly. Ron, however, looked to George and was met with his brother looking happier than he had seen him in days. Ron smiled and George winked, the smile still on his face as he took a deep breath, for his turn had come.

Now feeling more than reassured, Ron finally looking over at Hermione. She was staring up at him, her eyes shining with tears, but with little sadness left in her features. She was looking at Ron with such tenderness that he felt his ears go pink.

"How'd I do?" he couldn't help whispering to her as George finally got to his feet and made his way towards the front.

It was as if the awkward event that had taken place in Ron's room hadn't even happened. And not caring that it was still perhaps not the greatest moment or that it was in plain view of everyone, Hermione took Ron's chin in her fingers and pulled him down and kissed him softly.

"Wonderful," she breathed when she pulled away, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder. "You were wonderful."

Ron smiled pleasantly, placing an arm around Hermione's shoulders and holding her tightly as he looked up to see George facing the crowd.

"Well," George began with a smile still unexpectedly on his face, "for those of you who have forgotten, I'm Forge, and this is my brother, Gred." He gestured over his shoulder at the casket.

An incredulous look was plastered across the faces of many, or else eyes were wide, or people were placing hands over their mouths uncertainly. Whatever they had been expecting George to say, this was obviously not it, and it was obvious that they didn't know whether or not to laugh.

Two people did, however: Harry, who sniggered, remembering the first time he had heard this, so many years ago; and Luna, her laugh floating freely over the still hesitant crowd.

"We're twins, see," George went on, beaming at Harry and Luna. "Identical twins. Almost impossible to tell us apart. Well, actually," he said, his voice going lower, "there is one thing now that makes us different now."

The crowd waited, sure that the somber mood was about to return…

George raised a hand and pointed at the side of his head. "I'm missing an ear," he said seriously. "Fred has both."

And it happened again; more giggles broke out in the crowd, washing over everyone and tearing through the grief. Even Kingsley's deep chuckle was heard from the crowd and those who had been part of the plan with the seven Harry Potter's were shaking their heads, grins spreading across their faces.

George nodded encouragingly. "Good," he said, his voice going a bit calmer, "That's good that you're laughing. That's all Fred and I have ever wanted; to make sure that even when things got tough, you'd always remember to laugh."

He paused, looking just as serious as he had the past couple days, but perhaps a little less sad.

"I know that's not going to be easy," he told the crowd. "I know I sure haven't been smiling and laughing as much anymore, because a part of me doesn't think it's worth it. Why should I laugh when Fred can't anymore? Who cares what else happens now, if my twin isn't here to see it? And I know that feeling like this is going to be something that's a part of me now, just as Fred was."

"I don't think anyone who had the chance to get to know Fred will ever get over losing him. I know I won't," George sighed. "But we can't be sad about it all the time, we can't stop smiling, can't stop living. Especially because Fred would ask us why we're all still crying and not spending gold at the joke shop."

The laughter that had faded away crept back again, despite the tears on everyone's cheeks.

"It'll be hard to forget Fred, not just because I'll be your constant visual reminder, but because it's impossible to forget a guy like him. And even though it's painful, I reckon that it's about time that we start trying to live again. And when you do, just be sure to take Fred's memory with you, wherever you go."

George paused as eyes were dabbed at again, but the tension was ebbing and deeper more calming breaths were being taken, as though George's words had opened up a new way to continue living that they hadn't had before. After several more moments, he continued.

"It's really great that you all came here today to say goodbye to Fred," George said, wiping his eyes as another smile crept onto his face, "but as I'm sure you can all recall, Fred was never exactly the one to sit around crying over spilled Butterbeer. So, I think it's time that we send Fred out in his kind of fashion. Lee?"

"Yes, George?" Lee Jordan called from the back of the crowd, as heads swiveled around in surprise and people stood for a better look.

"I know my Mum, Ginny, and sister-in-law spent a lot of time setting this up today. What do you think of the decortations they chose?" George asked, sweeping his arm around at the formal set up of chairs on the sprawling field.

"Lovely," Lee said grinning, "quite spiffing, really. Except I don't think Fred would approve."

"Funny," George said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wand. "I was thinking the same thing. How do you think we should fix this?"

"Well, if there's one thing Fred could do, it was throw a party, right Gryffindors?"

There were knowing laughs from the students present who had ever been inside the common room during such parties; Seamus actually let out an excited whoop of glee and even Professor McGonagall shook her head as she too recalled the loud and exuberant festivities.

"Then what do you say we show Fred that his teachings weren't wasted on us?" George said.

"But, George," Lee said in a mock stern voice as he too drew his wand. "This is supposed to be depressing and sad. Don't you think it'd be inappropriate for us to do this?"

"Lee, my friend," George said, grinning his biggest grin yet. "I think it'd be even more inappropriate if we didn't."

With that, George and Lee began waving their wands at such a speed, it was hard to see who was doing what, as all at once the paddock began to erupt with color and noise. Large banners and pictures of Fred were suddenly suspended in midair or hanging from the trees, some inscribed with his more notable jokes or even detailing a great prank he had once pulled. What seemed to have been a dozen crates of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes' products had been emptied out, their contents overflowing the yard with more than just fireworks, but also with glittering lights and ribbons of smoke. George had summoned every last bit of food that Mrs. Weasley and Fleur had prepared and it came zooming towards some newly set up tables, joining the additional barrels of sweets that Lee had brought. The little wizard who had began the ceremony was looking scandalized, but no one took any notice as they got to their feet, pointing up at the fireworks exploding in the sky and laughing at the surrounding commotion.

Bottles of Butterbeer began to weave in and out of the crowd, some catching them eagerly in their hands or else taking them slowly, with wonder in their face, as if expecting they were going to wake up from what was clearly a dream.

"A toast!" Lee roared, grabbing his own bottle and hurrying forward to join George at the front of the awed crowd. The teenagers present thrust their bottles excitedly into the air and after seeing a tearful but smiling Mrs. Weasley do the same, the other adults followed suit, easily adjusting to the new atmosphere.

"To Fred!" George said loudly. "The single greatest prankster, friend, classmate, comrade, relative, son, brother and twin that any of us will ever have the luck to meet!"

"TO FRED!" The crowd cheered as one, their voices and laughter carrying everywhere as fireworks continued to sparkle and whiz overhead, the ceremony ending in a fashion that Fred Weasley certainly would've been proud of.

* * *

_  
_**Author's Note:** I love and miss you, Fred Weasley. And I hope this is the sort of funeral you would've wanted. \o/ 


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** Fourteen chapters in and I still don't own Harry Potter.

**Everyday From Right Now  
**_Chapter 14  
_By pacifickay

* * *

The warm afternoon sun shone down on the Weasley's paddock, with Fred's white marble head stone glistening just as brightly. There were still a few people mulling around it, setting down flowers or small trinkets, wiping the last tears from their eyes. But the majority of those in attendance had already done so, and were now scattered about the field and throughout the Burrow's yard, talking and laughing together as though it had been intended for them to do so all along.

After George's toast, the little wizard who was presiding over the service had lowered Fred's coffin into the ground and had been about to reprimand George and Lee, but a large Catherine wheel had zoomed by and caught his hat on fire. He had Disapperated in an affronted huff, but no one took any notice as they began to flock around George, hugging him and shaking his hand. The same went for all the Weasley's, who were still out amongst the crowd, greeting family and friends and receiving their fond recollections of Fred rather than lamenting with grief.

In the mass of bodies present at what was no longer a funeral, and could now only be described as the party that was honoring Fred's memory, Harry and Hermione found themselves standing off to the side of the throng of people, both sipping Butterbeer and more at ease than they had been for awhile.

"This is definitely not how I pictured this day turning up," Harry said, unable to hold back grinning.

"Not at all," Hermione agreed with a smile. "Though we were stupid to think that George wouldn't have planned something like it."

They looked over to where George was, standing with Ron and Percy amongst a large crowd. The three Weasley boys who had spoken for Fred had been approached by nearly everyone at the service, receiving compliments and admiration for their eulogies. George was back in his element, smiling and talking loudly to those around him; the sight was more than heartening to see.

"Hey, Hermione! Hey, Harry!" A voiced chimed out and they looked over to see Neville coming towards them.

"Hi, Neville," they chorused.

"You guys alright?" Neville asked. "Some party, eh? I bet Fred would've loved it."

"Definitely," Harry agreed.

"How're you doing Neville?" Hermione asked, her eyes sweeping over his still bruised and cut face, marks from both the brutal methods of the Carrows and the battle at Hogwarts.

"I'm fine," Neville said, waving his hand airily. "I look no worse than the rest of us."

"He means me," another voice said and the three of them turned to see Seamus and Dean joining them.

"I look the worst," Seamus continued. And it was true, for while all the others had their recent marks and bruises from fighting the Death Eaters and Voldemort, Seamus had been in a bad state even before then, but at least now he was recognizable.

"I dunno," Dean said, smirking. "I don't think you're too bad. Look, Harry, see this mark on his cheek? Think it can pass for a lightening bolt?"

"Maybe if the rest of us squint really hard," Harry responded and they all laughed.

"So, Hermione," Neville said. "You thinking of sitting the N.E.W.T.'s in a few weeks? That's when we all are."

"I'm not sure yet," Hermione said. "I mean, Professor McGonagall said it was a possibility, but she said she'd get back to us about it."

"Well, if you do, could you help me study?"

Hermione smiled. "I wasn't even at school all year; you ought to be helping me."

"And me," Harry said.

"Ah, c'mon, we all know Hermione could sit the test now and pass it," said Seamus.

"Well, it all depends on what Professor McGonagall says," Hermione repeated. "For all we know, we'll have to go back and do our seventh year over."

"Great," Dean groaned, "If you three have too, then maybe I ought to as well. McGonagall did offer."

"She did?"

"Yeah, but I told her I'd just go with what I knew with the N.E.W.T.'s. Apparently, they're being a tad less stringent with grading this year, thanks to everything that happened, so I may take my chances."

"Excellent, Harry," Seamus said, clapping him on the shoulder. "You beat You-Know-Who and, with that counting as 'extenuating circumstances,' now we'll all pass our tests no problem."

"I just need to sit the Herbology one," Neville said. "Professor Sprout said that she could use extra help around the greenhouses this summer, replanting everything we lost in the fight. And who knows, maybe she'll keep me around for a bit."

"That'd be brilliant, Neville," Harry said.

"You sure you all wouldn't just want to attend Hogwarts next year with us?" Ginny spoke up, coming up to the small group with Luna. "Imagine all of us being seventh years together."

"Oh, that'd be really fun," Luna said smiling honestly. "It'd be like being back in the D.A., wouldn't it? All of us learning together?"

"I think half the staff would quit if we all went back for another year in class together," Dean said to general laughter and agreement.

Harry looked over at Hermione. "What do you reckon? You think you'd want to go back?"

Hermione smiled softly as she thought about it. Going back to Hogwarts after everything that had happened definitely had its appeal. She'd officially finalize her schooling, no doubt as Head Girl, and almost get to re-do the last year of her life with Ginny and Luna and anyone else who went back. But at the same time, going back to Hogwarts was a bit odd. It wasn't going to change the fact that her, Ron, and Harry had gone and defeated Voldemort. And as much as she knew it was time to begin moving on from the past year, she wasn't sure that pretending it hadn't happened was the way to do it.

"We'll see what happens," Hermione told Harry, who smiled back at her, knowing that it was definitely something they'd have to think about soon.

As the afternoon went on, more people began to come over to the small group and join in with the laughter and discussions about school and future plans. It was the first time that many had seen each other in a non-threatening environment since the final battle and they were wasting no time in swapping summer schedules and addresses.

"Imagine if we all lost touch with each other after this," Ginny said as they waved goodbye to Hannah Abbot. "I can hardly picture not knowing what everyone's up to in a few years, after being through so much together."

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "It was weird enough not knowing what you lot were all up to when we were gone. I'm not really that keen on continuing it now that we're home."

"There you are, Harry," a deep voice said, and they looked around to see Kingsley Shacklebolt coming over to them.

"Hello, Kingsley," Harry said, grinning, "or would you rather be known as Minister now?"

Kingsley laughed. "No, please, my name is more than fine. Though right now, I do need to talk to you about a few things as Minister," he added.

Harry looked at him in surprise and glanced at the others around him. Ginny and Neville exchanged confused glances and Dean pretended not to hear, but Hermione met his gaze and nodded.

"Alright," Harry said "but as I'm sure you already know Hermione and Ron get to come and hear too."

Kingsley smiled. "Of course, I do. Drove us all mad for a year, remember?"

"I'll go find Ron," Hermione said.

"We'll just be inside," Kingsley told her. "It won't take long." He nodded at the others in farewell and began walking off towards the house.

Ginny frowned at Harry. "And why don't I get to come? I thought we were done with secrets."

Harry at least had the good grace to look a bit sheepish, but he stayed firm. "You know I'll just end up telling you everything anyway, Ginny, don't worry about it."

Ginny looked at him for another moment before sighing in defeat. "Fine," she said. Harry smiled and kissed her swiftly before hurrying after Kingsley.

"Where is Ron, anyway?" Hermione wondered aloud, scanning the crowd.

"He's over there," Luna said, pointing. "I saw him talking with more people. He did do an excellent job today, I told him."

"Thanks, Luna," Hermione said, and after another reassuring smile at a still slightly cross looking Ginny, she headed off in the direction Luna had been pointing.

It took Hermione a few moments to make her way through the chattering crowd, having to stop here and there to exchange a few words with someone she recognized or receiving a hug or handshake from those still talking of Voldemort's downfall. Eventually, she was able to spot Ron standing with George and talking to another group of former students including Alicia Spinnet, Terry Boot, Pavarti Patil and Lavender Brown. And much to her bemusement, it was the last person who spotted her first.

"Hermione!" Lavender said brightly, hurrying over to her and giving her a one-armed hug; her other was wrapped in a sling, thanks to her fall from a balcony during the battle.

"Hi, Lavender," Hermione said, hugging her back lightly, still confused. It wasn't that she had never gotten along with her former dorm mate, perhaps with the exception of sixth year, but it was still a bit unusual to be on such high terms.

"I never had the chance to thank you," Lavender said, pulling back and her eyes shining as she looked at Hermione. "Had you not stopped Fenrir Greyback from attacking me…well, thanks."

"Ron told us," Pavarti added, smiling at Hermione's confusion before giving her a hug as well. "I'm sure you barely remember it."

"Oh," Hermione said, as she vaguely recalled blasting the werewolf off his feet before he could have reached Lavender. "No, I do. But- well- you're welcome, Lavender," she finally finished, going faintly pink. It was odd to be thanked by someone directly; there had been so much going on, it was hard to recall who saved who during the fighting.

"What's up, Hermione?" asked George, who, like the others, had watched the exchange with mingled amusement.

Hermione looked over at Ron. "Kingsley wanted to talk to Harry about something, and Harry wants us to hear it too."

Ron frowned slightly. "What's it about?"

"No idea, but we ought to go find out, it shouldn't take long," she added.

"Alright then," Ron said. He and Hermione told the others they'd see them later, and after another wide smile from Lavender, the two of them set off side by side towards the house.

"So," Hermione said after a few moments, looking over at Ron. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Ron said, glancing back over his shoulder at the party guests. "This is a right sight better than the Hogwarts memorial. I was worried I wasn't going to see George so happy for a lot longer. And it's been great to see everyone again at a time where we're not fighting for our lives."

"That's true," Hermione agreed. "Though I certainly didn't expect to see you talking with Lavender," she added, raising an eyebrow at Ron.

Ron looked over at Hermione in alarm, his face flushing. "She came over to me first," he said quickly. "I was talking to George and Alicia and then she was the one who came over and – and – it doesn't- I didn't - you're not - ?"

He stopped as Hermione began to laugh. "It's alright, Ron," she said, smiling up at him. "I'm just giving you a hard time."

Ron looked at her closely. "You're sure you're not going to get all mad at me?"

"Why would I get mad?" she asked him, surprised.

"I dunno," he said, "I guess after what happened earlier-" his ears went pink again, but he pressed on. "-well, I don't know if you're going to be short with me or anything after that."

"Oh," Hermione said shortly, looking away from him, her cheeks matching his blush as what had happened in Ron's room came back to her. The kissing had been familiar, but the intensity hadn't. The deliberate moves of his hands touching her face and everywhere else had been almost enough to make her cry and laugh and scream all at once. Not to mention the way his breath had mingled with hers, his mouth soft and warm against her own. It had been everything and yet it had been nothing, and it was driving her mad.

She looked back up and was met again with the blue eyes that she knew so well. They looked at her fearfully and eagerly, and it was obvious that he was thinking the same things.

"Hermione," he said, his voice soft as he reached out and held her carefully by the arm, bringing them both to a halt in their walking, the Burrow just in front of them. "I'm sorry that…well…that everything had to happen the way it did, the bad timing and Ginny seeing us and everything."

She nodded. "I am too, Ron."

"But I'm not sorry that it happened," Ron said abruptly. "I'm not sorry that I kissed you like that. No bloody way am I sorry about _that_ part of it."

Hermione laughed softly in spite of herself. "That's good to hear," she admitted. "I'm not sorry you did either."

Ron looked slightly taken aback. "Really? You're not going to tell me that it can't happen ever again?"

"I didn't stop you the first time, did I?"

"No," he said, unable to hold back his grin. "No, you certainly did not."

"Ron," Hermione said, reaching up and gently smoothing her fingers along his cheeks, smiling slightly as it caused him to breathe in deeply at her touch. "You said it yourself. We're not exactly in a non-physical relationship anymore, we both admitted it."

"Best damn thing we've ever agreed on, I'd say," he muttered.

"Don't swear," Hermione said automatically, though she secretly agreed. "Anyway, we're just going to have to learn how to control it, that's all. No need in trying to stop completely, neither of us could handle it."

Ron laughed, taking her hands in his own and bringing them down between them, before he bent his head to hers and kissed her, loving the sensation she brought out in him as she kissed eagerly back.

"Thank you, by the way," he said, pulling away and looking at her softly. "For staying by me at the funeral. I thought I'd blown it again."

Hermione smiled. "I told you I'd be there for you. It'll take more than an awkward moment between us to send me packing."

"Yeah…poor Ginny," Ron chuckled, shaking his head. "We ought to apologize for that."

"As if that would be less embarrassing?" Hermione asked with a groan.

"Probably not," Ron agreed. "But let's think of that later. We'd better hurry up and see what Kingsley wants to talk to us about. Any ideas?" he added as they resumed walking across the final stretch of the lawn to the Burrow.

"Plenty," Hermione sighed. "And none of them are good, so hopefully I'm wrong about some."

"Hermione, you're very rarely wrong."

"That's what I'm afraid of..."

* * *

Entering through the back door, Ron and Hermione entered the kitchen, Crookshanks darting between their legs and out across the lawn. With everyone out on the paddock, the Burrow felt completely still and silent.

"Harry?" Hermione called.

"We're in the living room," Harry's voice answered back and Ron led the way over.

"This seems oddly familiar," Ron remarked, as he and Hermione sat on the couch together, facing Kingsley and Harry, who were both standing. "Though the last time the three of us were in here with the Minister of Magic, the air was much more hostile"

Kingsley chuckled. "Well, I give you three a lot more credit than Scrimgeour did. That's why I'm telling you all this as soon as I can."

"What's up, Kingsley?" Harry asked.

Kingsley looked at each of them in turn before he started. "There are a few different issues that I have to talk to you about. I didn't want to do it today, but this way you don't have to be seen around the Ministry too much, which still isn't the best thing at the moment, as we try to make sure all those affiliated with Voldemort are caught.

"I'm not sure how much you all have heard so far, seeing as half of your family, Ron, works at the Ministry, but I may as well tell you as much as we know. Obviously, with Voldemort gone, we've begun rounding up the remaining Death Eaters as best we can."

The three of them all nodded, but said nothing, waiting for Kingsley to continue.

"That being said, there's still some of them out there, and while we don't think any would be foolish enough to try and start another rebellion, we can't rule it out. Therefore, Harry, I have to let you know that you're still going to be under a certain amount of protection until we can get the more reckless Death Eaters arrested."

"Like the Lestranges?" Harry said, feeling it would be stupid to pretend that they didn't already know about this.

"Precisely. Now, I know that you are all more than capable of looking after yourselves, but I'll be putting some protection around the Burrow. Especially with Hermione and Ron still with you. It was common knowledge for the past year that they were helping you and there's every chance that they could be targets as well."

Harry glanced over at Ron and Hermione for a second. "Can't I just go stay at Grimmauld Place?"

Kingsley shook his head. "We don't know exactly how many Death Eaters have knowledge of Sirius's house and the fact that you have stayed there. It's under Ministry watch at the moment, and even though it seems to be safe, we shouldn't put it in use until it's absolutely necessary, just in case."

"I don't want to lead any Death Eaters here," Harry said fiercely. "Wouldn't it be better if we all just split up?"

Kingsley held up a hand to calm him. "No. The more people around you the better. You're forgetting, Harry, that this isn't as intense as what you're used to. No Death Eater is going to come barging in here when there's no master to serve. You just need to be aware that you are going to be under surveillance, mostly with the remaining Order members, and I'd advise you to stick to the Burrow for awhile.

"Which actually leads me to telling you the same thing, Hermione," Kingsley said looking at her. "I know that you'll want to go home, but with the possibility that you're a target, I'm not convinced that you going back into the Muggle world would be safest. There's less protection out there."

"But my parents," Hermione began, her eyes wide, "I want to bring them home, Kingsley. I can't just leave them in Australia forever."

"I understand," Kingsley told her gently, "but they've been safe there so far, haven't they? They may not be as lucky if you bring them back. I'm sorry, Hermione, but I think it would be best if they stayed there longer."

"How much longer?" Hermione said, her lower lip trembling. Ron reached out and took one of her hands in his own; she gripped back tightly.

Kingsley regarded her for a few moments in silence, obviously thinking about the matter. "Well," he finally said slowly, "give the Ministry and myself a few more days to assess the dangers that are still out there. After that, we can work on bringing your parents back into the country, though with a very liberal amount of protection. That's the best I think we can do for them."

Hermione nodded. "Thank you," she said softly, reaching up with her free hand and swiping quickly at her eyes.

"I'd still rather go to Grimmauld Place," Harry said again.

"I know you're worried about everyone's safety," Kingsley assured him, "but that is where the protection comes in. I'm setting most of it myself and I'd much rather keep you three in one place instead of sending you out into hiding again."

"How long d'you think we'd have to keep this up?" Ron asked. "Because McGonagall was saying how we could take our N.E.W.Ts in a few weeks or even go back to school in September, but would this all be done by then?"

"Well, that actually is another thing I wanted to discuss with you three. Have you made a decision yet about what you'd like to do about finalizing your education?"

They all exchanged looks. It had certainly been on their minds, but it was only a few days after they had fought at Hogwarts; they hadn't exactly done any heavy discussions on it.

"Well," Hermione spoke up. "I was thinking of taking the N.E.W.Ts, just to try getting some qualifications."

"I haven't decided," Ron said and Harry nodded.

"It's all up to you," Kingsley said, "but perhaps I can offer you another choice?"

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"Well, to be honest with you, you've gotten more experience in the past year than most of the current Aurors who've been with the Ministry for ages. And the thing is, we've got a Ministry to try putting back into order, while at the same time rounding up the last Death Eaters, and we could sure use the help."

The room went still. Hermione was looking at Kingsley in sheer disbelief, Ron had his mouth hanging open, and Harry blinked stupidly as he stared at Kingsley in wonder. Kingsley raised an eyebrow at their reactions.

"Why so surprised?"

"You were just saying that I'm supposed to be protected from Death Eaters," Harry said incredulously, "and now you want me to help chase them down?!"

Kingsley laughed appreciatively. "It does sound crazy, I know. But, Harry, I honestly can't think of anyone else who could make a better Auror than you could. Besides, I wouldn't exactly put you out in the field without having to go through the necessary training. Imagine what Molly would do to me if she knew that."

"Then what exactly would I be doing?"

"For starters, you'd just be involved in the tracking and interrogating. Maybe I could allow you to come on some assignments that aren't as high of threat, with my own supervision or with a senior Auror. Of course, when things begin to settle down, you could jump right into the appropriate training and work your way from there."

"You really are serious, aren't you?" Harry asked in an awed tone.

"I am." Kingsley confirmed. "And if anyone wants to try saying that Harry Potter doesn't have any other qualifications to be an Auror, then they can take it up personally with me."

Harry looked over at Ron and Hermione, both of whom looked back up at him with just as much surprise as he had.

"Kingsley," Harry began weakly, "this is – I mean – are you sure?"

"It's up to you Harry," Kingsley said again. "You don't have to decide right away, just think about it. You could join up tomorrow or in a few years, it wouldn't make a difference to me. The same goes for you two as well," he added to Ron and Hermione, who both looked back at him with wide eyes. "Just something you are free to consider."

Ron, Hermione, and Harry exchanged several glances at each other. This was certainly another option that they would have to think about. It was both tempting and daunting for their own reasons, not at least because they were terrified to accept right away.

Kingsley surveyed their stunned reactions and chuckled. "Didn't mean to frighten you three," he said.

"I think," Hermione finally said breathlessly, "that I'd need to think about."

"Yeah," Ron managed to say. "I'll need to think about it too. And by that I mean I'd have to ask Mum and see if she'd even allow it."

They all laughed, the tension easing somewhat. Kingsley looked at Harry, who smiled and shook his head.

"Same here," he said. "It's an amazing offer, but I'll need a few days."

"Fair enough," Kingsley said warmly. "And with that, I've got one last thing to talk to you all about and then I'll need to get back to the Ministry."

For the first time, Kingsley hesitated for a fraction of a second. "Now, there's been no real way around it, but you three are going to, of course, be awarded with the Order of Merlin, First Class, for all you did."

Ron let out a low whistle and Hermione gasped softly, but Harry raised a weary eyebrow. "Really, Kingsley, is that necessary?"

"Well, no, but frankly, this one is out of my hands," Kingsley said apologetically. "The public and Wizengamot are both clamoring for it, and honestly, it's a start in the Wizarding World paying you back."

"But, I don't –" Harry began, but Kingsley cut him off.

"You should just be thankful that I convinced them not to do a parade," he said simply. "It's a small victory, but I've gotten them to have only a closed ceremony. You'll be in and out as fast as I can possibly get away with."

Harry sighed and smiled awkwardly. "Alright," he conceded. "But it'll be in and out and no interviews."

"Deal," Kingsley said, extending his hand, which Harry took and shook with a smile.

"Thanks, Kingsley," he said. "For everything."

"I'll be in touch of course," he told them, shaking Ron and Hermione's hand as well as they got to their feet. "We'll see where we are in a few days with everything, so you three be sure to think a bit harder about your plans."

"We will," Hermione said.

"Good. Well, I'm going to go say some more goodbyes and then I'll be off. I'll see you all soon."

They exchanged some final words and with a final wave, Kingsley went back out to the paddock, leaving Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing in the living room.

"Well, so much for having a life without trouble," Harry said, looking at Ron and Hermione with a puzzled and amused expression.

"I'll say," Ron said, running a hand through his hair. "Finding out about the Order of Merlin, getting a job offer, and the idea that we're possible targets for some rogue Death Eaters. And all before dinner, no less."

"Not altogether surprising, though," Hermione said.

"Which bit?"

"All of it," she said shrugging. "Well, except the job part. We have no qualifications whatsoever."

"We have no paper qualifications," Harry pointed out, "but its like Kingsley said, isn't it? We've got plenty of field experience."

"Yeah, enough to share with half the department," Ron said. "Though is that really what we want to do?"

The three of them all fell silent, each thinking about the new offers and information they had received.

Of course Harry's inclination was to accept the job of being an Auror; it was, afterall, the only true career path he had ever seen himself in. But even with the training, would that truly be enough? And he had beaten the single most evil wizard of all time mere nights ago, was he ready now to jump right back into the fight?

Hermione bit her lip nervously. True, she hadn't made any set plans to retrieve her parents yet, but hearing that she'd have to wait even longer hadn't been comforting. Not to mention the guilt she felt of bringing them back home, when she was still in danger. She wanted her parents safe, but that might mean that they couldn't come home. And she wanted the exact opposite, especially if she was supposed to receive a reward and try continuing a life in the Wizarding World; she wanted to share that with them.

Ron was stuck in disbelief over everything Kingsley had said. To be receiving such a high honor as the Order of Merlin sounded crazy to him. Plus Kingsley had said that he could be an Auror too. That was definitely not expected, but more than welcome; even if he had a feeling that his Mum would be worried, he honestly couldn't see what else he could do. There was no way he could pass many N.E.W.Ts after just a few weeks of studying; only Hermione could do that.

At that thought, Ron looked over at Hermione then, watching her. She was obviously thinking of something, and while he was still learning how to read her, he had a feeling he knew what it was about. The way she had clenched his hand tightly; she was worried about her parents, and he couldn't blame her. He reached out and softly nudged her hand, causing her to look up at him. He smiled softly at her, trying with all his might to let her see that no matter what, it was going to be alright. Hermione understood, she smiled back at him and sighed.

"Well," she said, looking at Ron, but speaking also to Harry, "there's no use in deciding it right now. Kingsley said a few days, so there's time."

"Right," Harry said, looking relieved at that thought. "There's time to talk about it. We'll figure it out."

"We should head back outside," Ron said, "don't want to miss out on any more of the party."

They all agreed and together they headed back outside and began to walk out towards the paddock. It was still a silent walk as they allowed their thoughts to again stray to other things. They of course knew that they'd have to be making some big decisions soon. But right now, they felt that it was best that they wait just a little bit longer before they had to take another step towards their new futures.

_

* * *

_

**Author's Note:** So many plot point. ...and I'm covering them ALL. :)


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** You can take back your characters, Jo Rowling, but you can never take my FREEDOM! That is, my freedom to just borrow them for a bit of fun. Though, actually, with her power, I bet she could…yikes!

**Everyday From Right Now  
**_Chapter 15  
_By pacifickay

* * *

­­­

A few hours later, despite the apparent never ending supply of food and stories, the crowd that had gathered at the Burrow was beginning to thin out. Friends were exchanging waves and promises of keeping in touch and the Weasley relatives soon began to Disapperate under the setting sun. Some were remaining behind to assist the Weasley's in clean-up, which was more than helpful; especially after a scuffle with some happily whizzing fireworks that refused to extinguish.

"I think Fred would've been touched, honestly," Charlie said smiling. "We did him good today."

"You were wonderful, George." Mrs. Weasley said, hugging him tightly. "Absolutely wonderful."

"Well, I couldn't have done it without these two," George said, grinning at Percy and Ron. "And Lee, of course," he added, waving over at Lee, who was helping to pick up some scattered trash with Bill and Ginny.

"We're proud of you all," Mr. Weasley said, patting Percy on the shoulder.

As some of the last guests approached to say their goodbyes, and the others began helping with the clean-up George came over and caught Ron by the arm.

"Hey, so what's up?" he asked him. "What did Kingsley want to talk about?"

Ron glanced around, checking that everyone else was distracted before responding. "A lot of different things. Mostly about our plans about school or a job." He didn't really think now was the time to talk about the Order of Merlin or the Death Eaters. Not yet.

"Have you lot even talked about that together yet?"

"Not really, no. I mean, we've all thought about it separately but that's sort of it."

"You know you don't have to decide right away," George told him. "I think you all need a break for a bit."

"I know, but still," Ron said shrugging. "I guess its part of trying to move on."

"Yeah," George said, looking off towards Fred's grave. "Yeah, I guess so..." he said thoughtfully.

With so many helping hands, the field was clean within the hour, just as the sun had vanished and the dim light of the dark began to appear in the sky. The final guests left and the remaining food was being carried to the Burrow.

"Well, you can't say it wasn't an interesting day," Harry remarked, taking a spare crate of Butterbeer from Ginny to carry it off to the house.

"How interesting?" Ginny asked shrewdly, having not forgotten the fact that Harry had not yet told her about what Kingsley had spoken to them about.

"Calm down, Ginny," he said rolling his eyes, "can't we at least get inside?" Ginny scowled at him, but followed him closely across the yard. The other Weasley's began to follow each other, tired but content at the end of the ceremony. There was one Weasley, however, that began to head off in the opposite direction.

"Oi! George!" Ron called, spotting George. "Where you going?"

George had taken several steps towards Fred's white tombstone, but stopped to look back at Ron.

"I just need to go talk to my twin," he said simply. "I need Fred's professional opinion on something."

"Professional-?"

"Business stuff, little brother," George said, waving his hand airily. "Too complicated for you. Don't worry; I'll be back inside in a jiffy."

Ron opened his mouth again, but Hermione laid a hand on his arm. "Let him," she told him, watching George walk off. "It's okay."

With a final anxious glance at his brother, Ron turned away and took Hermione's hand as they began to walk back to the house.

"So what do you think?" he asked her after a moment.

"About what?"

"About everything, I guess," Ron said. "I mean, we've got a bit of stuff to think about now, don't we?"

"That's putting it lightly," Hermione commented wearily. "Just this afternoon I was only considering the N.E.W.Ts and now I have to decide on both a job and the well-being of my parents."

"And just a few days to decide," Ron said, shaking his head. "It's like some mad homework assignment."

"What do you think your parents will say?" Hermione asked him.

Ron thought about that for a moment before he shrugged. "I expect the usual. They'll be pretty pleased about the Order of Merlin, I guess. But when we get to the parts about being an Auror and, you know, possibly being on the top of the Death Eaters' hit list, I'm sure Mum will have something to say about it."

"I didn't even think about the Death Eaters, really," Hermione admitted with a wince. "Maybe I was just trying to pretend it wasn't a threat to us directly."

"Me too. Which is a bit stupid, honestly. We've been friends with Harry for how long? When is it not a threat to us?"

They had reached the back kitchen door and Ron held it open before following Hermione inside. Mrs. Weasley was already waving her wand about, a large pot already on the stove and other ingredients were chopping themselves on the cutting block. She looked over at them and smiled.

"I'm just whipping up a quick stew; we can't go to bed on just sweets. Be sure to wash up before dinner."

The two of them trooped across the kitchen past Bill and Fleur, through the living room by Harry, Ginny, Charlie, Percy and Mr. Weasley on the couch and in chairs, and then up to the first floor and over to the bathroom.

"When are you going to tell your family?" Hermione asked Ron, walking inside and over to the sink. "Tonight?"

"I was thinking tomorrow," Ron said, coming up behind her. "That way I can figure out how to break it to them. Why?"

"Just curious," Hermione said, looking at his reflection in the mirror over the sink. "I mean, they'd find out anyway right? And then you could get everyone's opinion on it, especially your parents." She paused before looking down to turn on the tap and get the water running. "You should hear what they think first."

Ron looked at her reflection as well, watching her bite her bottom lip as she started to wash her hands. Again he had that feeling that he knew what was on Hermione's mind. He took a step closer, standing over her, and reached his long arms around her to place his hands under the water with hers.

"Your parents," he told her gently, his long fingers smoothing the water droplets across the backs of her hands, "will be alright."

"I don't want to choose the wrong thing," Hermione said in a strained tone. "They'd be thrilled about the Order of Merlin, I'm sure, but how could I bring them home to see that if they'd still be at risk because of me?"

"You know that Kingsley would keep them protected," Ron assured her, pressing his cheek softly against her hair.

"And it's not just that," she continued, meeting his gaze through the mirror, her eyes sparkling with tears. "They've been in the dark about everything for almost a full year. Part of me thinks I should settle things before I go and bring them home, but I wish I could just talk to them, just to get their opinions on what I should do."

"Hermione, I'm sure that no matter what you choose to do, your parents will be proud of you," Ron said, holding her hands in his own, the water splashing coolly over them. "And that whatever you decide for them will work out. You wouldn't make any mistakes. That's my job, remember?"

Hermione smiled weakly at him. "I hope you're right."

Ron smiled back at her, turning his head to place a light kiss to her temple before reaching out and shutting off the water. He reached behind him to grab a towel from a nearby stack and dried his hands, giving it to Hermione next.

"Hey, you two finished?" Harry said, sticking his head inside. "Dinner's ready."

"We're coming," Hermione said, as she and Ron followed Harry out and down the stairs. Before they entered the kitchen, Hermione caught Harry by the arm.

"Have you talked to Ginny yet?"

"No," Harry said. "But I will once I have a better grasp on what I want to do and I can be sure she's not going to kill me."

They went into the kitchen and joined the others at the table. Harry sat by Ginny, who smiled faintly at him, but her eyes were searching his face. He smiled back at her in what he hoped was a reassuring way; in all honesty he had no idea what he was going to decide on or how she'd take the news.

Mrs. Weasley brought over the large pot of stew to the table and began to pass out the bowls. It was a tight fit at the table with everyone there, but it was manageable.

"Hang on, there's one extra bowl," Mrs. Weasley said, her eyes sweeping around the table. "Where's George?"

"Right here, Mum," George said, walking inside and shutting the back door behind him. His eyes looked a little red but he was still smiling as he came over and took the bowl from his mother before sitting with the rest of the family, who shot each other curious looks, but didn't press the matter.

For a few minutes there was the familiar chatter around the table, as they all filled each other in about whom they had seen at the ceremony earlier that day and what everyone was up to. But they eventually got around to the topic of what Professor McGonagall had had said about the progress at Hogwarts, causing Ron, Hermione, and Harry to all fall silent and listen carefully.

"Hagrid said that the grounds are definitely clear by now and that all the creatures are back in their homes in the Forbidden Forrest where they belong," Charlie was telling them. "Except of course for Grawp. Can you believe he wants to build him his own house next to his? That'll be interesting to try talking him out of."

"And Professor Flitwick was absolutely adamant that each and every floor and room of the castle was back in order," Percy added. "He seemed more than confident that it'd be back in perfect condition for next year."

"That's good," Ginny said, "but I'd like to see them leave up all the graffiti we all put up. At least some of it anyway, that took a lot of risk to do."

"It's good to see that Hogwarts is going to get right back on her feet after all this," Bill remarked. "Both Kingsley and Professor McGonagall seemed more than convinced that things will be running smoothly in no time at all."

Ginny glanced over at the each one of the still silent trio, as if looking to see if this was something that Kingsley had told them in their brief meeting, but the three of them remained impassive. They might have gotten away with it too, had Mrs. Weasley not cleared her throat in a meaningful way and then spoke.

"Professor McGonagall also mentioned you three." she told Ron, Hermione, and Harry, who had no choice but to look up at her. "And about what you were going to decide about your educations."

All eyes were on the three of them now, the air around them tight with curiosity.

"She did?" Hermione asked in a determined calm, despite the fact that her heart was beating slightly quicker than normal.

"Yes," Mrs. Weasley said, watching them all closely. "She obviously wanted to talk to you directly, but there was just so much going on today that she knew she'd just have to ask you some other way."

"Maybe we could go up to Hogwarts for a day and talk to her," Harry invented wildly, trying to get off this topic and ignore the burning look that Ginny was giving him. "Discuss our options with her and…and stuff," he finished rather lamely.

Mrs. Weasley stared at them for another second before turning to her husband. "Arthur," she said imploringly. All eyes flickered to Mr. Weasley, who slowly consumed his last bit of stew before setting down his spoon and then sighed.

"Or," he said clearly, his eyes sweeping from Harry, to Hermione, and finally resting on his son, "you lot could just let us know what Kingsley talked to you all about."

Ron's ears went pink, but he didn't break his father's gaze as eyebrows were raised and looks were exchanged between the Weasley's who hadn't known about this.

"You know about that?" Harry asked weakly.

Mr. Weasley nodded. "Minerva told Molly that she had let Kingsley know about what was offered to you. And apparently, Kingsley had to talk to you three about some things as well, so he told her that he would ask you if you had decided anything yet."

"And we saw you three come back out from the house behind him," Mrs. Weasley added.

"We know that you three are all capable of making your own decisions. You're all well over age, and you went through more than we know this past year," Mr. Weasley said. "But we can't pretend that we don't want to discuss your options with you."

"We haven't even discussed it ourselves," Hermione offered quietly. "I mean, only a little, nothing serious. And then Kingsley told us a bit more today."

"Well, we're all here," Ginny said. Harry finally looked at her, meeting her eyes. Without caring that her family would see, Ginny reached out and placed her hand over Harry's. "Why not start talking now?"

"What do you want to know?" Ron asked his parents.

"Everything would be nice," Mr. Weasley said, the faintest smile crossing his face.

Ron looked over at Hermione, who in turn turned to lock gazes with Harry. It couldn't be ignored anymore now. The time had come to inform the family about their options and also begin talking about it amongst themselves.

Ron and Hermione naturally waited for Harry to speak first. But Harry, however, hesitated slightly. He truly loved the Weasleys' as his family, he did. But at the same time, there was a part of him that knew that he would want to try to stick with Ron and Hermione first, regardless of what the others thought. He didn't want to come right out and tell them that though, especially Ginny…

Seeing Harry's hesitation, Hermione looked back to Ron. Under the table, she reached out her hand and placed it softly on his knee, silently communicating to him that he should speak. It was after all, his parents who were asking, and his siblings that were waiting anxiously to hear where they were going next. Ron took a deep breath, his hand wrapping over Hermione's as he began to tell his family about everything.

They sat in silence as Ron first repeated everything that Kingsley had said about the three of them being offered the positions of being an Auror and what it would require. Hermione then talked briefly about the situation with her parents, knowing that putting it out there now might make convincing them to let her go get them later a bit easier. And Harry found his voice to reiterate what Charlie and Bill had told them the other day about the at large Death Eaters and the extra protections that Kingsley said would be in place. He left out the specifics about the three of them still being targets, something that Ron and Hermione noticed but did not hasten to correct, due to the already pale faces on Ginny and Mrs. Weasley and the palpable tension in the air.

When Harry finished, the kitchen was very still. In a very obvious attempt at a distraction, Fleur stood and began to clear the table, but she could've been invisible for all the notice the others were paying her.

"So that's everything?" Charlie finally said.

"Yeah," Ron said. "Well, all that and then there's going to be a ceremony for us. They want to give us the Order of Merlin."

"Wow," Charlie said with wide eyes.

"Congratulations," Percy said, smiling weakly.

They smiled ruefully back, knowing that this was the least important matter at hand.

"We haven't decided anything yet," Hermione clarified for everyone again. "There's a lot to think about here."

"There certainly is," Mr. Weasley said, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes wearily. Putting them back on, he looked that the three of them intently before saying, "Be sure to think of every option before you decide. Leave nothing out, but do what you feel is best for you."

"We will, Dad," Ron said.

"Of course, Mr. Weasley," Harry echoed with a note of relief in his voice. "I promise we will."

"Well," Mr. Weasley said, addressing the rest of the kitchen, "I guess the next thing that we all need to hear is –"

"No," a voice said at the other end of the table. All eyes flickered over to Mrs. Weasley, her mouth set in a firm line. She had regained her ability to speak, and as the color began to rise back into her cheeks, it was obvious that she had quite a bit to say.

"Molly," Mr. Weasley began in a warning tone, "don't. It's not for us to-"

"_No_, Arthur," she said loudly. "No. I will not sit here quietly and willingly put these three back into danger. I won't do it."

"Mum," Percy said softly. "Mum, they wouldn't be Auror's right away, there's three years of training to do and –"

"And where exactly would they be training? Back out there chasing Death Eaters? How is that appropriate?"

"Kingsley said only on the less threatening occasions would we actually-" Ron began, but fell hastily silent as his mother looked at him.

"That doesn't matter," she snarled. "You'd still be in one of the most dangerous jobs at the Ministry. And without a final year at school or any qualifications whatsoever. I'm not having it!"

"What if they did do a final year at school then?" George shot as his mother. "Would you be alright with them doing it after that?"

"Absolutely not!"

"You can't have it both ways, Mum," Charlie sighed.

Mrs. Weasley ignored him as she fixed Harry, Hermione, and Ron with an angry and anguished stare that caused them all to reel slightly back into their chairs.

"You three," she began in a quavering voice, "did more than anyone ever asked you and I know you were remarkable. But the cost was that you spent nearly an entire year out of school, unprotected, and away from us. And now you want to go back out there and hunt down Dark Wizards again? We were worried enough about you the first time."

"They're not children, Molly," Mr. Weasley said sharply. "They're well over age. Ron turned eighteen in March and-"

"And was he here to celebrate it? No. Were we even sure that he was alive? No!"

Ron winced as his mother's voice was raised an octave. He had expected her to say as much, but hearing it aloud, and in front of Harry, who was looking guiltier by the second, was more than uncomfortable.

"They're not going to die out there," Charlie said exasperatedly. "And you can't say that they will."

"And you can't say that they won't. I won't have them risking their lives a second time. I forbid it."

"That's not fair, Mum," Bill spoke up. "You have no say in what Hermione and Harry do. You're not their mother."

"That argument honestly has very little weight," Mrs. Weasley snapped. "I'm tired of hearing it. I care about Harry and Hermione just as much as my own children."

"Even so," Ginny finally spoke, looking away from Harry for the first time in the entire conversation, "they can make their own choices. Hermione has to speak with her own parents, once she goes to Australia, and Harry-," she hesitated slightly, but plunged ahead, "Harry gets to make up his own mind."

Mrs. Weasley pursed her lips at this, glowering back at the reproachful stares around her. Harry remained impassive as he looked down at Ginny's hand still on his, but he barely comprehended it. Hermione kept her eyes on Mrs. Weasley, sadly acknowledging the truth of her words, but not yet caving to agree. And Ron was glaring at the table top, holding tightly to Hermione's hand, embarrassed at his mother's outburst, no matter how expected.

"Fine," Mrs. Weasley said in a brisk tone. "You're right. I can't tell Hermione or Harry what to do, as much as I hope that they are listening to me." She then looked pointedly at Ron. "But you, Ron, are not going to do it."

Ron jerked his head up and stared at his mother, indignant disbelief all over his face.

"What?" he asked in a hushed voice, the tips of his ears going pink.

"You heard me," Mrs. Weasley said, pointing a finger at him. "You can take your N.E.W.Ts and I'll even consent to letting you go back to Hogwarts for a final year, because you'll be safe there as well. But you will not become an Auror."

"Mum!" George said angrily.

"_Molly_-" Mr. Weasley began also, but Mrs. Weasley took no notice of either of them as she stared down her youngest son.

"Do you understand me, Ron?" she asked him. "I won't allow you to."

Ron gawked at his mother for a moment before looking over at Harry and Hermione, both who looked just as shocked as he did. In their silence, Mrs. Weasley assumed victory, getting to her feet and beginning to walk out of the kitchen. The others, slumped over in their seats, letting out sighs or the breaths of air they had been fearfully holding, also believing the conversation was over.

Until, that is, Ron unlatched his hand from Hermione's and stood up so fast that his chair toppled over behind him.

"NO!" he shouted after Mrs. Weasley, who froze in her tracks before slowly turning and facing him.

No one else spoke or moved. It was the most tense and loudest silence that Hermione had ever heard. She recalled many times over the years where she had seen Mrs. Weasley loose her temper. And she herself knew all to well that Ron was no stranger to anger either. Seeing one of them upset could be scary. But to see Ron and Mrs. Weasley, staring at each other with emotions boiling just under the surface, was down right terrifying.

"Excuse me?" Mrs. Weasley hissed.

Ron took a deep breath. Having never faced his mother like this before, and to be doing it in front of the entire family, he felt a sense of panic at his own actions. But it was lost in the other thoughts that were swirling to the front of his mind; stuff that he knew was going to make these decisions for him.

"I'm not going to do anything without Harry or Hermione," he said in a dead calm that was just as effective as his outburst had been. "And if that means going back to Hogwarts, or becoming an Auror, or running off and joining the bloody Muggle circus, then that's what I'll do."

"You will n-" Mrs. Weasley started, but Ron couldn't be stopped now.

"Yeah, I will," he said. "We've been through too many mental things together for me to let you stop me from doing what they do. Don't you remember how well of a job you did last year, trying to stop us from planning on leaving school?"

Mrs. Weasley blinked, taking in the statement, hearing the truth in Ron's words.

"It couldn't be done, could it?" Ron told her, his voice softer now, one of explanation instead of accusation. "Because that's just it, Mum. We've stuck together this long; and I don't mean only this past year, but in the entire time we've known each other. It's been the three of us through it all. And I'm not planning on ending that any time soon."

"But the three of you leaving and going back out there," Mrs. Weasley said, and now she too had dropped her hostile tone, sounding instead close to tears, "is something that I don't want to see. Because I don't want to go through that again."

"Well," Ron said, "the thing is Mum, I know what happens when the three of us aren't together anymore. What happens when…when I'm not with them," he admitted. "It's a lot worse then facing Death Eaters. And I won't go through it again."

Bill and Fleur glanced at each other, as did Harry and Hermione. The four of them alone knew exactly which period Ron was referring to, but that didn't stop the others around the table to look curiously at Ron, wondering what that ominous statement could mean.

Mrs. Weasley gazed at Ron for a time, simply taking him in, and realizing that he was speaking the truth. It didn't matter what she told him, it didn't matter what anyone told him. Ron's mind had been made up before this night; even before this conversation and before Kingsley had spoken with him. Maybe it had been when he had come back from his self-exile or maybe when he chose to sit in that compartment with Harry seven years ago, but now Molly Weasley could fully appreciate it for the first time. Because it was simple: whatever they decided to do, they would decide it together.

Slowly, Mrs. Weasley nodded. "You three will stick together, just like always?"

"Yes," Ron said, but he wasn't alone, as Harry and Hermione spoke up along with him, their three voices echoing in the kitchen.

And finally, Mrs. Weasley relaxed into a sigh, tears running down her face as she gave them a watery smile. "Alright," she told them, "but promise me you won't leave for a year. Or at least don't miss Christmas again."

Harry and Hermione smiled, nodding their agreement as Ron crossed the room and went over to Mrs. Weasley, giving her a hug.

"You really aren't my little boy anymore, are you?" she whispered for only him to hear.

"Shocking isn't it?" Ron responded, grinning down at her.

"I'm proud of you," she told him, holding his face in her hands. "No matter how cross or worried I get. I am so proud of everything you've done and this fine young man you've grown into."

"Thanks Mum," Ron told her, his ears flushed not with embarrassment, but at happiness at her words, knowing that she would never truly know how much hearing this meant to him.

"Alright," Mr. Weasley said, getting to his feet and smiling. "I think it's been a rather long day for us all. We should all head up to bed."

"Wait, weren't you going to say something else, Dad?" Percy asked him.

"Oh…right. Well…" he trailed off, looking over at Mrs. Weasley.

"It can wait until tomorrow," Mrs. Weasley told them all. "Your father's right, it's time to go to sleep."

"Aw, but the party was just getting started," George complained to general giggling.

The scene in the kitchen began to wind down. Bill and Fleur said their goodbyes and the rest of them finished up in the kitchen. They had some final chatter amongst themselves about other things that had happened earlier in the day, but slowly they each began to drift over to and up the stairs, calling goodnights back down to each other.

Before Ron and Hermione could leave, Harry pulled them both aside quickly.

"I don't think we can put this off much longer," he told them under his breath before anyone, namely Ginny, could notice. "The sooner we all talk about everything, the better."

"What, like, right now?" Ron asked.

"Of course not now," Hermione said. "How about in another hour? Outside even, so we don't wake anyone?"

Harry nodded. "That sounds good."

They finished just in time as Ginny and George both came out of the kitchen behind them. George took no notice and instead began to ask Ron if he had heard about Lee's latest fling, but Ginny looked at Harry with a questioning face. He smiled at her, and while she smiled back, it still wasn't as big.

The five of them headed up the stairs together, with George going right up to his room, saying loudly how he didn't have the energy to witness two sloppy goodnights from the others. Ron rolled his eyes, but it still didn't prevent him from leaning down and kissing Hermione quickly.

"See you in the morning then," he said, with the slightest smirk on his face.

"Alright," she said as she raised an eyebrow at him, silently chastising him for being so obvious.

Whether Ginny noticed or not was unknown, because she was still looking at Harry, not angry or sad, but merely thoughtfully, as if trying to figure out what he was thinking.

"Don't worry," he told her softly, hugging her close. "It's going to be alright."

"I hope so," she whispered back, pulling away and briefly touching his face.

"Goodnight," Harry told both the girls. He and Ron followed each other up the stairs; Hermione and Ginny went inside and got changed and into bed in silence. Before falling asleep, however, Ginny spoke up.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Ginny?"

There was a pause. "You know how Ron was talking about the three of you making decisions together?"

"Yes."

"Don't leave me out of it, alright?" Ginny asked.

Hermione was silent, a small jolt of guilt in her stomach as she thought about the plans for an hour later.

"I mean," Ginny continued. "Don't leave me out of the decisions. I may not come off as strong as Mum did, but I don't think I could handle another time like last year either."

"We won't, Ginny," Hermione told her softly after a moment. "And you know that Harry wouldn't. I know he's thinking about you in all this."

There was silence in which the two of them were left with their own thoughts.

"'Night, Hermione," Ginny finally whispered.

"Goodnight, Ginny," Hermione responded before she began to count down the minutes until she, Harry, and Ron would make some big decisions.

* * *

**Author's Note:** What can I say? _You_ try stopping a rant from Molly Weasley and see how well you manage. ;)

Have a good Thanksgiving break everybody! I'll be writing the entire time and I'll also be back on the 29th/30th with your next chapter.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** My story idea, but with Jo Rowling's world…d'you think she'd ever go for a trade?

**Everyday From Right Now**  
_Chapter 16_  
By pacifickay

* * *

­­­

It was officially night outside. The only light was coming from a few groups of fireflies and the only sound was the rustling of the wind. The Burrow was dark and stood silently, as most of its inhabitants were asleep. All except for three people, who had met on a dark stair landing, before being led by a single, small glowing light down through the kitchen and out into the yard. Their voices broke the serene air outside, but they were mutterings that were lost to anyone not close to them.

"Not too near the bushes," Ron said. "If those little freak gnomes hear us, they'll make too much noise and wake everyone up."

"Well, if you're going to keep that light on, Ron, it's not going to matter. I still can't believe you lit it inside."

"I could've broken my neck slipping down more stairs," he protested. "I needed to see where I was going!"

"I still think Ginny saw it. She definitely stirred when you clicked it on."

"She did not see it, Hermione. Give it a rest."

Harry rolled his eyes, smiling to himself, as they walked a bit further from the house, but away from the bushes, settling under a large tree near the edge of the yard. They settled down into a small triangle and under the light of the Deluminator, Harry could only imagine that they must have looked liked children at a sleepover. The three of them were in their pajamas, Hermione with a robe on, which Ron raised an eyebrow at.

"It's the middle of summer, you know," he told her plainly.

"It'll get cooler, you just wait," Hermione shot at him.

"Right," Harry said before Ron could reply. "Let's get through this as much as we can before someone wakes up and sends a search party. May as well turn out the light, Ron, we know where we are."

With a click they were plunged into the night around them, and they spent a few seconds blinking, their eyes adjusting enough that they could just make out each others features amongst the shadows.

"You know," Harry said with a wry smile, "we should've just done this first night after the battle. Or first night we got here. Could've saved your mum the yelling," he nodded at Ron.

Ron snorted. "Nah, she's probably been waiting to have a go at me for awhile. Sorry she did it in front of you two though."

"She's just worried about us," Hermione said.

"Seems like everyone is," Harry agreed, his thoughts on Ginny.

"Should they be?" Ron asked the both of them out right.

For a moment, there was a pause, as each of them thought back on everything they had been thinking on over the past few days. And then there was a rapid outburst of their voices.

"They will be if I accept Kingsley's offer," Harry said.

"If I go to Australia alone, they will."

"I'll be worried if I take the N.E.W.Ts without really stud- hang on, who says you're going to Australia alone?" Ron demanded.

"What do you mean accept Kingsley's offer?"

"Hermione, I'd never be able to study enough for the N.E.W.Ts. That's something I expect you to do," Harry said shrugging.

"I never really wanted to be an Auror though, so I'm still not sure about that yet."

"You're _not_ going to Australia by yourself, are you crazy?"

"Well, I doubt your mother will let you come."

"I stood up to her tonight, didn't I? If I have to I'll tie her up before she stops me going with you."

"Ron's right, Hermione; I wouldn't want you going by yourself either."

"Well, I don't want to take you two out of the country and out in the open in the Muggle world. Especially because we couldn't go by magic –"

"Why not?"

"There are so many different levels of the Ministry we'd have to go through, trying to achieve permission for cross-continental Apparition. And if we're not even sure if the Ministry is fully uncorrupted yet, I don't want to risk it."

"Hermione, have you forgotten Tottemham Court Road? You're not going by yourself."

"Harry, the Death Eaters could already be trying to see where we go. We'll be exposed out in an airport and then what about in Australia? If I go by myself, then you two won't be in danger, just me."

"And that's a comfort to me how!?" Ron exclaimed loudly.

"Ron, keep it down,"

"No, I bloody will not keep it-!"

Hermione placed a hand firmly over his mouth.

"Alright, alright, hold on," Harry said, holding up his hands, as Ron and Hermione glared at each other. "We need to really plan this out then, one step at a time."

Hermione nodded and gave Ron a final warning look before removing her hand from his face. Ron glowered, but stayed quiet.

"Okay, then," Harry said. "First up…going back to school next year?"

There was a long pause.

"I don't know," Hermione finally said slowly. "It certainly does sound like a nice option. Going back and redoing seventh year."

"We'd be with Luna and Ginny," Harry pointed out. "Same year this time around."

"Yeah," Ron said thoughtfully. "That'd be a laugh, wouldn't it? Having Luna in Transfiguration?"

They all smiled briefly at that thought before Hermione continued, "But it'd be just us, right? The only other person we know like us is Dean."

"Who said he was just going to continue on without it," Ron pointed out.

They felt momentarily silent.

"Look, I'm not saying it wouldn't be a sure fire way to get a sense of a normal life back," Harry said, "and believe me, I really wish I could get that year back for all of us. But – I mean, we left that part of our lives behind, didn't we?"

Ron and Hermione thought about this and nodded.

"Yes," Hermione said. "I don't see what going back would do, really. Aside from making Mrs. Weasley happy."

"Well," Ron said bracingly, "it's like George said. He and Fred didn't finish and it worked out well for them."

"So we're not going to go back to Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"No," Hermione said softly.

"I guess not," agreed Ron.

Harry nodded. "No going back then." He said in a tone of disbelief that mirrored all their feelings. They took a moment to let this decision sink in. Choosing to not go back was choosing to really grow up, leave that place of comfort behind them. They each had their own thoughts of the classes they had missed, the positions of Head Boy and Girl or Quidditch captain a thing of their past. But after fighting Voldemort, going back to Hogwarts looked like an easy escape, instead of the right decision to move on.

"Second," Harry continued, breaking the silence, "is taking the N.E.W.Ts in another few weeks?"

He and Ron looked expectantly at Hermione, who eyed them both curiously.

"What?" she asked.

"Well, would you?" Harry asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes at their assumption, but couldn't deny it. "I was considering it, yes."

"Which ones?" Ron asked her, the corner of his mouth twitching.

"Well, all the subjects I took in sixth year, obviously," she replied. "Charms and Potions and of course Ancient Runes and –_what_?" she asked again, as Ron and Harry chuckled.

"Only you, Hermione, would think of going back and taking exams," laughed Harry.

"Loads of students are," Hermione shot back. "You remember, Dean and Seamus and Neville?"

"Still don't see what the fuss is about," Ron said, still grinning over Hermione's return to fretting over tests.

"There's plenty to worry about," Hermione said hotly. "We can't just blow them off if we took them. After missing and entire year of school? What if they take that into account? We'd need top grades for sure. That'll mean loads of studying."

"What, no bonus points in Defense Against the Dark Arts for getting rid of seven fragments of a dark Wizard's soul?" Ron asked in an amused voice.

"Or even being one of those said fragments and nearly dying because of it?" Harry asked in mock outrage, causing the two boys to snicker uncontrollably as Hermione scowled at them.

"That's not funny," she snapped, causing them to stuff their fists in their mouths to not laugh any louder. Hermione tutted in disgust, getting to her feet.

"And where are you going?" Ron asked through chuckle as he easily reached up and caught her wrist.

"If you're not going to take this seriously!" she huffed, trying to wretch her arm away, but Ron held fast.

"Sorry," Harry said, trying to arrange his face into a serious look. "Honest, Hermione, we're sorry. Please, sit down."

"Besides, you can't leave," Ron reminded her happily. "We told my Mum we'd stick together."

"Well, I've changed my mind," she said stonily.

Ron smirked at Harry before he simply reached up with both arms and pulled Hermione down, settling her in front of him.

"_Ron_," protested Hermione, attempting to get back to her feet, but found herself wrapped tightly in Ron's arms, her back against his chest, and his long legs on either side of her.

"Impressive," remarked Harry, grinning at the look of immense pride on Ron's face and the flush on Hermione's cheeks.

"You both are terrible," Hermione mumbled, her resistance wavering as Ron's laugh rumbled above her.

"Well, then before we step out of line again, Ms. Granger," Ron said, his chin resting on her shoulder and his breath tickling her neck. "Will you be sitting your N.E.W.T's?"

"Will you two be sitting any with me?" Hermione asked back, trying very hard to focus on anything but that ever present feeling of excitement that Ron was so apt at bringing out in her.

"Not if I don't have to," Harry admitted with a shrug, Ron nodding in agreement.

"Cowards," Hermione told them, but she was smiling again.

"So, when Hermione has her fifty N.E.W.Ts," Ron continued, making no effort at all to release Hermione, and merely adjusting himself more comfortably around her, "Then what?"

"Then I'm going to take Kingsley up on his offer," Harry decided. "Being an Auror is the only thing I've ever considered doing anyway, so why not?"

"You know you'd have to swear to so many different people that you wouldn't rush into anything dangerous," Ron told him.

"I know," Harry said, running a hand through his hair as he thought of one person in particular. "But I don't think I'd really want to start chucking Death Eaters in Azkaban right away. I'd like to at least attempt to have a quiet life. But to get in there and start my training would be good."

"Well," Hermione said, offering him a smile, "it's like Kingsley said. You'll be a fantastic Auror, Harry, honestly."

Harry grinned, but then looked at Ron and Hermione curiously. "And what about you two?"

"Well," Ron began slowly, "I think that –"

He broke off abruptly and Harry and Hermione knew why because they had heard the sound as well. They sat quite still listening hard as they heard another crunch of the grass near them, a shadowy figure coming their way. Ron reached into his pocket, taking out the Deluminator and giving it a click. In another few seconds, the person entered the glow of the light, looking down at them with a bleak expression.

Hermione sighed before looking up at Ron. "I told you she woke up."

Ron muttered incoherently under his breath, removing his arms from around Hermione as they all clambered to their feet to face Ginny.

Ginny's face remained blank as she looked at each of them, settling her gaze on Harry, who met it levelly.

"How much have you heard, Ginny?" Hermione asked her softly.

"I've been out here since you tried to leave," Ginny answered, still staring intently at Harry, as if trying to decide what to make of him. "Since you decided to take the N.E.W.Ts."

"Alright," Hermione said calmly, reaching out and taking Ron's hand. "Ron and I are going to head back inside."

Ron frowned at her and opened his mouth to ask what she was talking about, but she squeezed his hand hard and raised her eyebrows at him. Confused, he stayed quiet.

"Okay," Harry said, glancing over at her and nodding, silently thanking her for her tact. Hermione smiled briefly back before tugging hard on Ron's hand to get him to follow her back towards the house.

As Ron and Hermione left together, Harry turned his attention back to Ginny, her face sliding back into the shadows as the light from Ron's Deluminator faded the further away he went. They merely looked at each other for a moment, each trying to decide what to say and who to say it first.

"Look, Ginny, I-"

Harry's voice broke off as Ginny took a very deep breath and took a single step towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him to her tightly.

"You're a real jerk," she mumbled into his shoulder. "All I want is to stay like this forever and you just have to go get a job."

Harry smiled faintly, returning the embrace and burying his face in Ginny's hair, breathing in the familiar flowery scent that he could never seem to get enough of.

"It wouldn't feel right," he told her, "if I didn't become an Auror. I've spent my entire life fight dark wizards, why stop now?"

"Because if you don't, I'm going to sob hysterically and never speak to you again. Or I'm going to be so furious that you're doing this to us again that I may hit you…and then never speak to you again."

Harry winced, pulling back and looking at her reluctantly. "Please don't do that."

"Which one?"

"Either?"

Ginny smiled softly. "Harry, you know I wouldn't do that. Did I do either of those when you made a similar decision at Dumbledore's funeral? They're both very appealing options" – here, she brushed his hair gently from his face – "but they're not going to change anything; it's what I like about you. It's just…I guess a part of me was hoping you'd go back to school for another year," she admitted.

"It was an option," Harry told her seriously, "and believe me, I wish I could go back with you. We had a good year there before things go complicated. Lots of good times in the common room and by that lake…it'd be nice to pick up those activities again."

"But you don't want to," Ginny stated, not sad or angry, but merely repeating what she knew was true.

"It just…going back doesn't feel like the right thing," Harry said, running his fingers through her long hair.

"Fighting Death Eaters does?"

"It always has."

"You've got a twisted version of the right thing," Ginny said, "but I'll admit it; Hermione's right, you would be fantastic."

"Unless you tell me not to," Harry suddenly rationed, "then I'm going to do it. We already talked about this, but I'll say it again; I'm not going to leave you for anything. If you'd rather I move into Gryffindor tower with you, just say the word."

"It's tempting, believe me," Ginny said softly, taking his face in her hands. "But I think I'll survive. I did the first time. Just nothing too rash right away, alright? I wouldn't be able to kiss you as much as I'd like if someone hexes your lips off or something."

"That wouldn't bode well for us, no," Harry agreed.

The blazing look that Harry had come to expect from Ginny suddenly lit up in her eyes, as she slowly traced the outline of his mouth with her fingertips.

"You still have your lips now, though," she pointed out, leaning in very close so that their breathing matched pace.

"Maybe we ought to make the most of it then," Harry teased her gently, his hands brushing along her neck.

"Quick then before they're gone," Ginny said, before their lips met in a heated kiss.

* * *

"Why does it have to be so dark at night?" Ron questioned, squinting off in the general direction that he believed Harry and Ginny were. "I can't see a thing."

"For the last time, Ron," Hermione sighed, "will you stop it and get away from the window?"

Hermione was leaning against counter beside him, her arms crossed as she smirked at the sight of Ron playing the protective older brother again. She had needed to practically drag him back into the house, for he had wanted to know what Harry and Ginny were doing. And now they were back under the glow of a single kitchen light, with her watching Ron.

"You know as well as I do that they're not out there 'simply talking about Harry's decisions of the future,'" Ron persisted, repeating her earlier words and peering so closely out the window that his nose was almost to the glass.

"Actually, I know better than you do. And that is exactly what they're doing. Ginny told me she didn't want to be left out of our plans; she's just making sure of that right now."

"Yeah, by snogging Harry until he can't breathe."

"Well, if that's what it takes," she said shrugging, causing Ron to scowl over at her. Hermione laughed.

"Come on," she said, taking his arm and pulling him away from the window and over to the table, pushing him down into a chair. "There's nothing to worry about. Harry and Ginny are fine."

"Yeah, I know," Ron admitted grudgingly. "I guess I still can't shake the thought that as soon as they start working things out, something'll happen and they'll break it off again. Just like last time."

Standing up in front of him, Hermione looked closely down at Ron, tilting her head curiously. He looked up at her then and blinked in slight confusion

"What?" he asked.

"I just assumed you were playing the big brother again and were about to go out and hit Harry for, as you so eloquently liked to call it, 'messing around' with your sister."

"Well, yeah, that's part of it, I guess," Ron said slowly, still trying to figure out what Hermione was getting at. "But it's more like, I know how upset they were when they split up the first time. Imagine what a mess they'd both be if they did it again because some other noble reason? Like if Harry becomes an Auror, but breaks it off with Ginny to keep her safe. Wouldn't it be better to go out there before that and tell them to quit being stupid and just stay together?"

Hermione stayed quiet, merely fixing Ron with a gaze he couldn't figure out.

"Or- or not," he said hastily, looking warily up at Hermione, thinking that she was silently admonishing his idea. "Maybe that's a stupid thing to think. And it's not like I would really - forget I mentioned it. You're right, I –"

Ron was saved the trouble of continuing his rambling excuse as Hermione seized his face tightly in both of her hands and crashed her lips onto his. After a moment, she pulled away, smiling at Ron's bemusement.

"Not that I didn't enjoy that," he said in a slightly shaky breath as he tried to bring rational thought back after being kissed like that, "but what was that for? Tell me, please, and I'll be sure to do it more often."

"You really don't hear yourself sometimes, do you?" Hermione said.

"Not the way you hear me, apparently," Ron said. "I usually just focus on trying to make sense."

"You're worried that Harry and Ginny are going to stop being together and you don't want to see that, right?"

"Yeah…?"

"It's just sweet of you," Hermione said, kissing him lightly on the forehead. "And it made me think of something."

"Really? What's that?"

"Well, that's what I was preparing to do myself. I was all set for talking you out of coming with me to Australia because I didn't want you to risk anything for me. Just like Harry wouldn't want Ginny to be in danger because of him."

"But, like Ginny," Ron said, catching on and reaching out to place his hands on Hermione's sides, "it's not bloody likely that I'll allow you to do anything without me now that I got you."

Hermione laughed softly. "Here I am trying to protect you and you won't have it."

"Protect me?" Ron asked, amused. "If you went off alone, I'd be back here going absolutely mental. How does that help?"

"It probably wouldn't. Especially because you'd probably take it out on your family. I'd better do them all a favor and take you with me."

Ron smiled at her teasing, but then his face took on a more serious expression as he looked up at Hermione.

"So are you serious, then? You want me to come to Austrailia with you?"

Hermione stared back at Ron, her eyes going soft. She had correctly assumed that he wouldn't have wanted her going by herself and she had logically decided that it wasn't fair of him to risk coming with her. What she hadn't counted on was what the feeling in her heart was going to be telling her. And it was telling her the obvious; that she was nervous about trying to collect her parents by herself and that she didn't want to leave Ron if she didn't have to. And so Hermione nodded at him as she reached her conclusion.

"Yes," she whispered, her hands trailing across the back of his neck. "I want you to come with me. If you want to."

Ron pulled her in closer, his hands around her waist. "'Course I want to," he said, tilting his head up slightly to kiss her on the jaw. Hermione sighed in relief before she bent her head again to kiss Ron on the mouth.

"Thank you," she murmured against his lips before capturing them again.

All at once, they were back to where they had been the previous morning. The only thing that mattered to each of them right now was the person in front of them. The thoughts of sadness and tricky plans for the future were drifting away from them with every kiss. And every acknowledgement that they could be caught at any time seemed insignificant with each lingering touch.

Slowly, Ron's hands slid from around Hermione's waist and his fingers played with the tight knot of her robe.

"You still think it's going to get colder?" he asked her when she broke away, tugging gently on the hanging ties for emphasis.

Fully expecting that sort of suggestion to earn him a good smack, Ron was happily shocked when Hermione instead whispered in his ear, "I was actually thinking that it's getting quite warm in here."

Ron didn't need any other encouragement. He undid the knot of her robe, letting it fall loose around Hermione, before he slid his hands inside it and back around her waist, feeling the warmth of her skin through her shirt.

"If we keep this up," Hermione gasped out, trying very hard to stay standing upright, "Ginny's going to come in and catch us again."

"I have a feeling she and Harry will be busy for awhile," Ron said, his voice just as breathless as hers.

Kissing Hermione deeply, Ron's fingers found the hem of her shirt. He lingered there for a second, the opportunity for Hermione to stop him wide in front of them. She pulled back and looked down at Ron, her brown eyes dark and tender.

It was only for a brief moment, but she let him known everything that he needed to know. That it was alright; that she wanted this as much as he did and that she trusted him.

Only then did Ron lean forward to kiss Hermione sweetly as his hands slipped under her shirt, his skin making contact with hers like this for the first time.

Hermione couldn't think anymore. All her senses were keyed into one thing and that was Ron. The way his hands were roaming across the small of her back, past her sides, and gently over her stomach, before the path was repeated. The way his hands were leaving a trail on her that tingled and burned and felt so good, all at once. The way he tasted as he sighed softly when she parted his lips with her own so that she could explore his mouth as he explored her skin.

They continued on for awhile, totally lost in the feel of each other before a bit of reason slowly came back to Ron. Despite the fact that he was more than eager to continue kissing Hermione into oblivion, something in the back of his head was telling him that to do so in the middle of the kitchen wasn't exactly the best spot ever.

It took a lot of inner strength to do so, but Ron eventually took his hands from Hermione's waist and instead reached up gently to hold her face, ever so softly pulling her away from him. Hermione made a soft noise of objection that caused him to grin.

"Sorry," he told her, "but if we don't stop now I don't think I'll ever be able to."

"And what's wrong with that?" Hermione teased, kissing him hard.

Ron smiled against her lips, but as soon as she broke away, he continued. "This will be one of the few times I'll admit that we shouldn't get too carried away right now, so I'd take it if I were you."

Hermione laughed softly. "Fine time to go all noble, Ron."

"I don't know what's the matter with me," he agreed, reaching out and then bringing her down to sit on his lap.

Hermione slid gratefully into the new position; her legs were effectively turned to jelly after their kissing and touching. She wrapped one arm went around Ron and the other rested on his chest as he held her with his arms around her waist again.

They stayed there silently, their heart rates slowing as they came down from their respective highs. Every so often, Ron would bow his head and kiss her cheek or lips or nose so softly that it felt like the brush of the wind. And Hermione rested her head against his shoulder, occasionally tilting her head to kiss his neck.

Eventually though, Hermione broke the silence.

"You know," she said, looking up at Ron, "to get to Australia, we're going to have to take an airplane."

"You're kidding," Ron said, raising an eyebrow.

"I told you," Hermione said, "it takes a lot of official permission from the Ministry in order to Apparate, or even take Floo Powder, to different countries. And who's to say there aren't still people in the Ministry who are left over from Voldemort's orders? It's not worth the risk."

"Well," said Ron, awkwardly, "maybe we can talk to Kingsley again. I bet he could fix us up and we wouldn't have to worry."

Hermione looked at him curiously, before she smirked at him. "Why? Are you scared about taking a plane?"

"No," Ron said, though perhaps a little too quickly. "I just don't want to travel without magic."

"It's okay, Ron," Hermione said, trying hard not to laugh. "It won't be that bad."

"What wouldn't be that bad? Hermione's timetable for studying for N.E.W.Ts?" Harry's voice asked, as he and Ginny finally came in from the back door. They were each sporting ruffled hair and it was apparent that they had done as much talking as Ron and Hermione had.

"No, but that's a good idea," Hermione said, causing Ron to scowl over at Harry. "No, I was telling Ron that to go get my parents from Australia, we'd have to taken a plane."

"You're going to Australia with Hermione?" Ginny asked her brother.

"Yeah."

"And do Mum and Dad know?"

"Not yet," Ron said, "and that's going to take some careful persuasion."

"Very careful," Ginny agreed.

"Well, maybe we can all start working on that tomorrow," Harry said through a yawn. "But right now, I think I'm ready to sleep."

The others agreed and as a group they all got up and headed out of the kitchen, up the stairs. Ginny and Hermione said goodnight and Harry and Ron continued up to Ron's room.

"So you're really going to go with her?" Harry asked him as they went inside the door.

"Yes," Ron said. "I wasn't about to let her go alone. And she asked me to anyway, so that's that."

Still in their pajamas, they headed over to their beds and began to get settled in. They lay quietly for a few moments before Harry spoke up.

"Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"You have every right to tell me to clear off," Harry said slowly, "but d'you think that I could go as well? Only because I feel like…I dunno…like I owe it to Hermione to go too. She stuck by me for so long. And anyway, once her parents are told about everything she went through the past year, I should be there to take some responsibility. That way she doesn't have to take all the blame."

"Shouldn't you be asking her?" Ron asked, slightly confused.

"I wanted to check with you first," Harry said, focusing up at the ceiling so he could explain this without it sounding too awkward. "'Cause I mean, if I don't go, then you and her can get some time off together. I didn't want to be in the way."

Ron thought about that for a second, and then shrugged. "Harry, we'd be at her parent's house. Her parents that I hardly know. It's not like I was thinking of taking her out to dinner there. So, no, I don't mind, really."

"Alright," Harry said in relief. "But then you know that Ginny'll want to come as well. She's probably asking Hermione right now."

"You think we're ever going to get sick of being around each other so much?" Ron asked with a smile as he settled down into bed.

Harry smirked into the dark. "I bloody well hope not. Life would be pretty boring if we did."

* * *

_  
_**Author's Note: **…You know what? I really, really like this chapter. :)**  
**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer:** My plot idea + Jo Rowling's character's – any monetary profit This Fanfic.

**Everyday From Right Now**  
_Chapter 17_  
By pacifickay

* * *

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The next morning at the Burrow fell back into a normal pace, a stark contrast to the other days leading up to Fred's funeral. Of course there was the occasional time where someone would expect to hear another laugh along with everyone else's or where George would fall quiet for a moment with a far off look on his face. Overall, though, it seemed that everyone had decided to begin their long journey on the road to moving on.

Everyone had risen in the morning for breakfast, and then afterward said their goodbyes to Percy, Charlie, and Mr. Weasley, who were all on their way back to the Ministry. Mrs. Weasley then insisted that Hermione unpack her beaded bag and let her begin washing the loads of clothes that she, Harry, and Ron had taken with them on their Horcrux hunt. After that, the others were left to occupy themselves, and they settled on a game of Quidditch.

They all trooped out back to the paddock, passing Fred's tombstone with small smiles. Once there, they settled on Harry and Ginny against George and Ron, after George had whispered to Ron that they'd be at an advantage with Harry and Ginny being distracted by each other. Hermione, on the other hand, decided against playing and instead settled herself under one of the trees surrounding the pitch, immersed once again in_The Standard Book of Spells: Grade 7_.

"You know," Ron told her later, after he had landed for a break and came over to her. "I really ought to teach you how to play Quidditch one day."

"I'm complete rubbish on a broom, you know that," Hermione said, shaking her head with a smile. "Remember that one summer I tried playing? I kept falling off."

Ron grinned at the memory, sitting down next to her and leaning back against the tree trunk. "Well, then how about I just teach you how to stay on a broom?"

"I can already stay on a broom," Hermione said idly, turning to another page in the textbook, "just as long as I can hold onto someone."

"All the more reason for me to teach you," Ron said simply, leaning over and placing a kiss on her cheek.

Hermione flushed slightly, but continued on. "And anyway, I shouldn't be learning how to ride a broom; I should be studying for my N.E.W.Ts."

"Hermione, come on," Ron sighed, "they're weeks away. That's plenty of time to study."

"After missing an entire year? No, it's not," she told him. "Especially when I'll be taking everything I can, and that's about six or seven exams. A few weeks is hardly enough."

Ron rolled his eyes, but decided not to push the matter of Hermione's mental study habits. They were quiet for a bit; Hermione muttering a spell here and there under her breath, and Ron watching the others. They had called a break in the play, and while he had landed to rest, George had picked up another game that seemed to consist of throwing the practice Quaffle they were using over at Harry and Ginny whenever they tried to lean in for a kiss.

"I was wondering," Ron spoke up, watching as Ginny took off after George on her broom after he had caught her in the back of the head, Harry roaring with laughter. "How long do you think we'll be in Australia?"

Hermione finished the paragraph she was reading, thinking about this, before she answered. "A few days, probably. It shouldn't take long to reverse the memory charms, but then it depends on how long we stay."

"You're still going to talk to Kingsley, right? About getting us there without magic? 'Cause me and Ginny don't have those wonky Muggle things you were talking about earlier. What were they called again?"

"Passports," she said through a smile. "And yes, I'm going to have to talk to Kingsley about that. There's no way we could get those in time the regular way, so we'll see what he can do for us."

"And you're still okay with me going?" Ron asked her.

"Ron, this is the eighth time you've asked me that this morning," Hermione said gently, taking his hand and looking up at him. "And, yes, I'm still okay with it."

"And Harry and Ginny?" he reminded her, for the two of them had each asked her if they could go as well; Harry because he was convinced he 'owed' it to her and Ginny because Harry was going and she wanted to meet Hermione's parents again.

"Yes," Hermione said honestly. "It may actually be to our benefit. Your parents may be more willing to let you come if it'll be the four of us."

"Oi, Ron!" George called over, and they looked over to see him waving at them. "C'mon, just a few more goals and we'll beat these two easy!"

"What are you talking about?" Harry shot at George. "We're the ones winning!"

"Alright, coming," Ron shouted back, then looked over at Hermione. "Sure you don't want to play?"

"I'm sure," Hermione laughed and kissed Ron swiftly before anyone could throw the Quaffle at them next. Ron smiled back at her before clambering to his feet and joining the others again.

* * *

Deciding to just call a tie an hour later, those playing in the air came back to the earth, laughing and playfully arguing about the finer moments of the game. After putting the brooms back in the shed and Hermione gathered up her textbook, the five of them began to walk back in the direction of the house, thinking about lunch.

As they walked up towards Fred's memorial, however, George nudged Ron on the arm.

"Can I talk to you about something?"

"Can we go get some food first?" Ron replied.

George rolled his eyes. "Ten minutes, you prat. The food isn't going to get up and run away."

Waving the others on, George stopped walking, standing besides Fred's grave. Harry and Hermione looked questioningly at Ron, who shrugged in response, but hung back with his brother.

"What's up, George?" asked Ron, watching him curiously.

Instead of answering right away, a thoughtful look crossed his face, and George looked down at where his twin now peacefully lay. He stood there, simply gazing at the marble headstone, quite calm. Ron, utterly confused, waited for a long as he could before breaking the silence.

"George?"

George finally looked up at Ron, and after a moment, he smiled. "Fred and I have been thinking. And we've decided that it's time that you were brought into the family business."

"What?" Ron said, bewildered.

"Take your time to process it, little brother," George said with a bigger grin. "You don't want to hurt yourself."

Looking at George in pure disbelief, everything started to click, and Ron opened and shut his mouth a few times, not knowing what to say.

"Mum was harping on you the other night, so I didn't want to ask you then," George continued, as if Ron was not impersonating a fish out of water. "But believe it or not, it's not all a laugh, running the joke shop. I'd like some help."

"Let me see if I understand this," Ron said weakly. "You want me to go work in the shop?"

"Not 'in' the shop, 'for' the shop," George clarified slowly. "It was founded by two Weasleys and it ought to have two Weasleys running it."

"So…so I'd help you run it?" Ron repeated.

George raised his eyes skyward. "You know what, Fred? I've changed my mind. We can't have someone this stupid working for the good name of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. _Yes_," he emphasized, looking back at Ron. "I'd want you to come help me run the shop, you idiot."

"You're really serious?" said Ron in an awed tone.

"I'm really serious," George said. "I mean, I don't know what you lot all have planned with each other, but if you'd rather have another option or, you know, just a side job…well, I'm offering."

"Blimey, George," Ron said smiling in wonder, "this is – I mean – well – why me?"

"Would you rather I go ask Percy?"

"No."

"Then shut up about it," George said shrugging. "I'm asking you because I think you'd do good and because I'd really like it to be you helping me. And anyway, Percy would try to turn it into an actual business, all crunching numbers and budgets; it'd be a disaster."

Ron snorted with laughter and then took a good look at George, who was smiling earnestly over at him. This wasn't a joke at all, George was really serious. And despite everything that Ron had thought he was set on doing in the future, this new option suddenly felt like it was the most important. He could still be an Auror, but hanging around the shop with George sounded so great…maybe it _could_ be a side job.

"Well?" George asked him, extending a hand. "What do you say? Nothing has to happen right away, but would you be up to it?"

And with a grin spreading across his features, Ron reached out, took George's hand and shook it.

"Alright. I'll do it."

* * *

While George and Ron had been outside talking, the others had entered the back door to the kitchen to find that Mrs. Weasley was already laying out lunch on the table.

"I know how Quidditch works up an appetite," she said, looking over as they came in. "But where are Ron and George?"

"They'll be in soon," Ginny said, as they all sat down. "They're putting the stuff away."

Hermione and Harry nodded; they both decided to follow Ginny's lead and not tell Mrs. Weasley that her two sons were having a hushed conversation out by Fred's grave, just in case she would worry.

"Oh. Well, I wanted to wait to tell you all at once, but I've got to get to a few more chores, so I'll tell you now and then you can fill them in."

She sighed and looked at them seriously. "We also heard from Kingsley yesterday that Andromeda wants to have Tonks and Lupin laid to rest tonight."

Harry choked slightly on his sandwich and Ginny thumped him on the back.

"Tonight?" Hermione asked again in a small voice.

Mrs. Weasley nodded gently. "She wants nothing big, just the close friends and family. Kingsley was to tell us and we were going to tell you all last night, but well-" she trailed off and went slightly pink for a second – "well, we just decided that it could wait."

"She really wants us all there?" Harry asked. His thoughts drifted back to his previous behavior towards Andromeda Tonks that one night at her house and felt that it would make perfect sense if she thought him an idiot.

"Of course she does, Harry," Mrs. Weasley said, looking at him curiously. "She said that you have to come. You've got a godson to meet."

Harry nodded, lips curving into a small smile. He was going to finally see Teddy.

"What time are we going, Mum?" asked Ginny.

"We'll be leaving in the evening. Your father is coming with the boys and Kingsley from the Ministry and they'll meet us there."

"Just the close friends and family…" Hermione repeated. A frown creased her forehead for a brief second and Mrs. Weasley caught it.

"It should be fine," she said briskly. "We'll only be there for the evening."

She looked directly back at Hermione, their eyes searching each other and silently communicating something. Ginny glanced at Harry, who shrugged.

"Now," Mrs. Weasley said, "Be sure to tell George and Ron," she added, nodding out the window, where two figures were coming across the yawn. "I'll be upstairs."

The others nodded as Mrs. Weasley left the kitchen. They sat quietly for a moment, until the door opened and Ron and George walked in, laughing loudly.

"It would work, believe me," Ron told George as he sat beside Hermione and began piling food on his plate.

"But food doesn't appear out of thin air, everyone knows that," George chuckled.

"Well, I didn't," Ron said, tucking into his own.

"Yeah, well, when have you ever impressed us with magical knowledge?"

"What in the world are you two talking about?" Ginny asked them.

George and Ron grinned at each other across the table.

"You can tell them," Ron said. "It was your idea."

"No, no, I insist."

"How about, if you tell us what's up," Harry said, "we'll tell you what we're doing tonight."

"What we're doing tonight?" Ron asked, confused.

"Yes," Hermione said. "And it's very important."

"Right," George said, rubbing his hands excitedly and sitting up. "At the same time then, no hesitating, and I'll speak first."

"Alright," Ginny agreed, leaning forward as well. "Go."

"I have officially employed my youngest brother Ron to come and work under the great name that is Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, which he has accepted."

"We're going to Tonks and Lupin's funeral tonight."

There was a stunned silence around the table as each person slowly let George and Ginny's announcements sink in.

"What?" Hermione finally asked, looking at Ron.

"Tonight?" George said, looking between Harry and Ginny. "Just like that?"

"We'll fill you in," Ginny sighed, "if you fill us in."

* * *

Once George and Ginny had fully explained everything, they all finished eating in a mildly awkward and stunned silence. It had definitely been one of the more confusing lunches held at the Burrow, and at the end of it, the five at the table moved over into the living room together.

Harry sat on the couch with Ginny lying out next to him, her head resting in his lap. Hermione was on the ground in front of the chair that Ron was sitting in, leaning back against his legs. And George was sprawled out on the floor, looking at the ceiling.

There had been little more conversation once George explained what he had talked to Ron about, and the melancholy feeling in the air had settled in after Ginny finished detailing them about Tonks and Lupin. And as the afternoon got later, they were all now left with their own thoughts and the occasional question at each other.

"When are we leaving tonight?" Ron asked.

"Mum said the evening. Few more hours I suppose," replied Ginny.

"And what about Dad and Charlie and –"

"Meeting us there."

"Oh."

"And what exactly were you two arguing about when you came back inside?" Harry asked, tearing himself from his own contemplation from his pending introduction to Teddy.

"Ron was throwing out new product ideas," George answered. "Food that would change into something else when you start to chew it. But that'd be a ridiculous amount of transfiguring going on."

"Are you going to tell your parents?" Hermione asked, looking up at Ron.

"Yeah, eventually," answered Ron. "I'll have to make it clear to Mum though that it doesn't mean I wouldn't be an Auror at all, just that I may do something else along with it."

"You know Mum would want me to try tying you to the shop with some Extendable Ears anyway though," George said with a smile.

"Will you?"

"It's tempting," George admitted, "but no. You wouldn't add much to the décor if I did."

"So are you going to tell Mum and Dad about the shop before or after you ask about Australia?" Ginny asked Ron. "Too much in one go and you'll overdo it."

"Wait, what about Australia?" George asked curiously.

Hermione hesitated for a second, but before she could even attempt to explain, Ron took the job from her.

"I'm going to go with Hermione to Australia when she goes to get her parents," he said simply, resting one of his hands on her shoulder.

"Us too," Harry said, looking over at Ginny. "Just for a few days, right Hermione?"

Hermione nodded. "Hopefully. I think that's as long as I'll need to reverse the memory modification spells I performed."

"And then are you going to help them move back home?" asked George.

"I don't know," Hermione said, twisting her hands in her lap. "I haven't really decided what is safest for them yet."

"Well, no matter what Kingsley is going to keep them protected," Ron said firmly, reaching down and gently untangling her hands. "So it'll be fine."

Hermione smiled gratefully up at him; he squeezed her fingers and smiled back.

"Going to meet the parents," George said with a smirk. "Make sure he doesn't start carrying on about the Chudley Cannons, Hermione, or your mum and dad will never accept him as their son-in-law."

Harry and Ginny laughed loudly and Hermione's blush was matched nicely by Ron's, who promptly showed George and glare and his favorite rude hand gesture.

"Ah, c'mon now, Ron, manners," George scolded, getting to his feet. "Can't have you managing a shop if you'll be that cordial to our clients." Ron scowled.

"Well," George said, "let's get things cracking then. I'm going to go get ready now. I'm sure Mum will be down soon to harp on us all. Best not be late tonight."

Harry and Ginny agreed, and they followed George up the stairs, still snickering over their shoulders at Ron, who was now glowering in his chair. Hermione got up as well, turning and looking down at Ron.

"George is just teasing you, you know," she told him gently.

"I already know I'm going to look like a complete prat to your parents," Ron muttered, leaning forward and hanging his head in his hands. "I don't need everyone telling me that."

"I haven't told you that."

"Yeah, well, you're probably just saving up until we get there."

Hermione sighed and kneeled back down on the floor in front of Ron, reaching out and taking his face, forcing him to look up at her.

"You shouldn't worry about seeing my parents. You've all met before and they know a lot about you, I've told them loads. Actually, if they even knew who I was and that we were coming they'd probably be really excited."

"I guess," Ron said. "But the last time I sort of met them was when we were only around twelve. A lot has happened since then. A whole lot," he added, placing his hands over hers still on his cheeks. "And I'm absolutely terrified of what they're going to think of me."

"You're not just some regular bloke, you're Ron. And they're going to think the world of you; just like me," Hermione said, leaning forward and kissing his forehead gently.

Ron smiled. "But still no talking about the Cannons?"

"My parents know less about Quidditch then I do," Hermione confirmed. "So that may not be the best conversation starter, no."

"Well, then I guess if topics grow scare, I'll just have to tell them everything their brilliant daughter did this past year," he said, running his hands down her arms and over to her shoulders, brushing against her neck and leaning in close.

Hermione leaned in as well. "I suppose you can slip it in somewhere in between me telling them everything you did for me," she whispered against his lips.

"And are they going to find out about this?" Ron wondered aloud, making it clear what he was talking about by trailing a light path of kisses across her face.

"There's a good chance," Hermione sighed happily at the soft feel of his lips.

"And they're going to be okay with it?" he whispered back, leaning back and gazing up at her with worry in his eyes.

Hermione blinked. "Is that what this is about? You're afraid of what my parents are going to think of us being together?"

Ron gave a funny sort of shrug. "Just like any other bloke would be, meeting his girl's parents, right?"

"Oh, Ron, don't be ridiculous," Hermione told him gently, brushing her fingers across his cheeks. "There's absolutely nothing for you to worry about."

"You're sure?"

"Of course I'm sure," Hermione said, kissing him sweetly on the mouth. "It's going to be fine. Trust me."

"Alright," Ron agreed, a smile playing at his lips. "But what if they go mad like my Mum did over Ginny and Harry if they see us kiss or something?"

"Well then," said Hermione simply, returning his smile, "we just won't let them see anything, will we?"

Ron grinned. "Whatever you say, Hermione," he told her, before pulling her back to him and kissing her firmly.

* * *

_  
_**Author's Note: **Just a bit on the shorter side, but I needed to wrap up a few points and throw in some new ones before my holiday break.

**Happy Holidays** everyone, whatever you happen to celebrate!  
Be safe, have fun, and I'll see you in the New Year with plenty of new chapters. :)


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** The only bit of Harry Potter I own is store bought, consumer merchandise. Jo Rowling gets all the best parts…like, you know, the story itself.

**Everyday From Right Now**  
_Chapter 18_  
By pacifickay

* * *

­­­The last remaining hours of the afternoon passed, and as evening began to descend, the occupants at the Burrow were gathered in front of the fireplace. One by one, they each took a pinch of Floo Powder and were then all swirling off through the whirls of color and ash, landing in the sitting room of Andromeda Tonks' house. Clambering out of the grate and dusting off their clothes, Kingsley came striding over them from across the room to greet them. 

"Andromeda is situating some of the other guests," he told them, shaking hands all around. "But I think we may as well save her the trouble head out on our own."

"Where's Teddy?" Harry asked abruptly.

"With his grandmother, I believe." A smile flashed across Kingsley's features. "Just hang in there, Harry; you'll meet him soon enough. In fact, Andromeda is insisting on it."

Harry nodded, but his heart rate was still a tad faster than normal. Ginny laced her hand with his and squeezed it reassuringly and he smiled at her. They could repeat it to him a hundred times, but Harry knew that until he saw Teddy, he wasn't going to be able to sit still. This meeting had somehow become crucial to him; he was determined to give that little boy everything he had and to make sure he had the biggest, most loving family ever.

"Shall we move outside?" Mrs. Weasley addressed their group. "Is Arthur here with the boys, Kingsley?"

"Yes, they're already seated," Kingsley said, beckoning them all after him. "It shouldn't't be a long ceremony and afterward, we're all invited to stay for some food."

They followed Kingsley as he led them out into the backyard. The set up was a lot smaller than the Hogwarts memorial or Fred' funeral had been. The only others in attendance were a few more members of Tonks' family, several Aurors who nodded at Kingsley when they passed, and a couple remaining members from the Order, including Hagrid, who came hurrying over to them all.

"Alrigh' everyone?" Hagrid said gruffly, before reaching out and sweeping Harry, Ginny, and George all at once into a huge one armed hug.

"Fine, Hagrid," Ginny gasped out when he released his hold on them and instead moved onto Hermione and Ron.

"Still isn't any easier, all this burying stuff," said Hagrid, taking out his handkerchief and dabbing at his eyes. "But the sooner yeh do it, the sooner yeh can start getting back to livin'."

"How's everything going at Hogwarts?" George asked him.

"I'd say we're right back near normal," Hagrid said. "Some – er – final arrangements need ter be made with some things…" he trailed off and glanced at Kingsley, who shook his head ever so slightly.

"But it's nothing ter worry much about," Hagrid finished, waving and airy hand, but not quite meeting Harry's eyes.

"There's Arthur and the boys," Mrs. Weasley said, pointing and hurrying off to join her husband, Kingsley following behind her. The others were left with Hagrid, shooting curious looks at each other over the vague statement Hagrid had made.

"Well, come on then," Hagrid told them as he motioned for them to follow him. "I'm in the back o'course, but you lot are somewhere 'round the middle. See? Righ' there, behind the Malfoys."

Five sets of feet stopped dead in their tracks. Hagrid took several more strides without them before he realized they were all behind him.

"What's the matter?" he asked them, confused.

"Well, for starters," Ron said, his eyes narrowed at the back of Draco Malfoy's head, "I'd like to know what bloody reason they have to show their ugly faces today."

"Relax, Ron," Hermione said gently. She had foreseen this problem earlier, when Mrs. Weasley had mentioned "family", but it didn't make it any better; and especially not when she saw the mutinous looks on the three Weasley's faces.

"I'm with Ron, actually," George said. "Give me one good reason they're here and maybe I'll consider not hexing Lucius Malfoy into the next country."

"Don' know what yeh're all makin' a big fuss about," Hagrid told them sternly. "Those people're family to Andromeda. I reckon her sister is here to pay her respects to her niece."

"They never respected Tonks or Lupin," Ginny said fiercely, her hand twitching ever so slightly toward her wand in her pocket. "They never gave a damn about them. They're probably just trying to save face."

Harry was frowning, but more to himself than at the Malfoys as his thoughts whirled in an inner debate. The last time he had seen them was when they had all been together in the Great Hall after the battle, Lucius and Narcissa with their son. And while his familiar dislike for the lot of them was still at the front of his mind, he still recalled how they hadn't done anything more in the battle than tried to find Draco. Not to mention how Narcissa Malfoy herself had lied directly to Voldemort, telling him that Harry was dead as his heart beat under her palm…

Sighing heavily, Harry made up his mind. "We don't have to say anything to them," he told the others. "We're here for Tonks and Lupin; they don't matter right now."

"Righ' yeh are, Harry," Hagrid said nodding his approval. "Now c'mon then, let's get goin'."

He set off again, assuming of course that they would all follow. Instead, the five of them stayed put; Ginny still glaring at the ground and George looking curiously at Harry.

"Since when d'you not want to curse Malfoy into the slimy pulp we know he is?" he asked.

Harry shrugged. "They're all gits, I know. But right now, all I care about is meeting my godson. They're not worth it."

"Harry's right," Hermione said, speaking more to Ron than anybody else. "Not to mention that we're likely to see them all from time to time. We need to start getting past all that happened and just deal with them."

"You go right ahead with that," Ron said sharply. "But I don't think I'll be forgetting anything any time soon."

"Ron, please," Hermione sighed. "I know they've been awful in the past, but why can't you let it go just this once?"

"I'll give you a hint," Ron muttered darkly. "I'm thinking of a time in the Room of Requirement, not too long ago actually-"

"We know, Ron," Harry broke in wearily, but Ron ignored him.

"–where we were all set to find and destroy a Horcrux, when all of a sudden that bastard and his cronies came in and –"

"Shh, don't swear," Hermione tried to say. "Your mum may –"

" – not only do they try to stop us getting the diadem, but I do believe that they sent the Killing Curse at us a fair few times. Oh, and right, my mistake, they also nearly burned us all to death with some crazed fire hex," he concluded fiercely.

"They did all that?" Ginny asked in a deadly whisper, her hand going toward her pocket again. Harry noticed and he reached out quickly and took it in his instead.

"Yes, they did," Ron told her, "so forgive me for not going over and inviting them over for tea tomorrow."

George had already taken out his wand and was taking aim through the crowd. "If that tall bloke would move over just an inch, I think I'll be able to hit Lucius…maybe even his lovely wife if the curse bounces."

"Stop it," Harry said firmly, reaching out and lowering George's arm. "I'm serious. Right now, I don't care what they did to us in the past; we're not living in the past anymore. We're not at war and we're not going to get into a fight right before we're about to bury two people we loved, alright?"

"How about after?" George asked with a faint smile in his eyes. Harry rolled his own at him.

"We'll just steer clear of them, got it?" he said.

The others nodded with slightly abashed expressions at Harry's words, for they were the honest truth. Ron, however, only pursed his lips, obviously holding back.

"Got it, Ron?" Harry asked him.

They stared at each other for a moment before Hermione reached out and placed a gentle hand on Ron's arm. At her touch, Ron glanced over her way, catching her eye, before visibly relaxing.

"Alright," he agreed, throwing up his hands in defeat. "But if I hear one stupid remark from any of them, then I'm going to start with that _Langlock_ jinx and not stop until I feel better."

The others murmured their grudging agreement, but Harry seized the opportunity and began leading Ginny after him toward the seats, George following them.

"Do me a favor," Ron told Hermione quietly, taking her hand and holding it tightly. "Don't let go of my hand or Malfoy is going to get it. I may even punch him in the face again, that felt good."

Hermione did her best to hold back a smile as she squeezed his hand back. "Alright," she told him. "Now come on, let's go."

Walking behind the others, they made their way over to the small congregation of people, some of whom where taking their seats and the others still walking about and talking. Many nodded over at Harry and the others as they passed and headed toward the rest of the family. As they drew closer, they could see them all standing and waving them over, smiles on their faces.

"We're all here now," Charlie said over his shoulder.

"What's up?" George asked him.

"Well," Andromeda Tonks said, stepping from around Mr. Weasley and Bill and looking at Harry. "I think it's high time that Teddy got to meet his godfather."

In her arms was the wriggling baby, looking brightly around at all the faces around him and obviously enjoying all their attentions. Harry stared at Teddy for a second, momentarily at a loss of what to do, and then his face broke into a wide smile. Letting go of Ginny's hand he reached out to Teddy without asking, and Andromeda promptly placed him in his arms.

"Mind his head," Mrs. Weasley reminded him, but she didn't have to, for Harry was holding Teddy with such care that the others couldn't help but grin warmly at the sight.

"Hi Teddy," Harry said in a soft tone. "I'm Harry and I'm your godfather."

Teddy had been staring up at Harry intently, almost as though he understood everything he had said. And then quite suddenly, he let out a gurgle of laughter and to the surprise of everyone, his light crown of hair changed colors quite rapidly.

"Oh, now he's just showing off," Andromeda said, in an amused voice as everyone else gasped or giggled at the sight of the baby's hair going from green to orange and than to a very familiar shade of pink. "He thinks he's very impressive."

"He's right," Harry laughed as Teddy's hair went pitch black, looking very much like his own. "I'm impressed."

"He likes you," Ginny said happily, reaching out and brushing Teddy's hair. "I mean, of course he would, but now its official."

"It is," Andromeda said, smiling at Harry. "Would you like to watch him through the ceremony? It would help."

"Sure," Harry said at once, looking at the others and beamed at them. "He's got a lot more family members to meet anyway."

* * *

Kingsley had been right; the ceremony was not long at all. Andromeda had gotten to her feet and spoke at length about Tonks, and Kingsley said a bit about Lupin. But despite the sadness of the situation, there was a lightness that filled the air, most of it caused by Teddy, who had taken to letting out happy shouts whenever he was passed to another person. It was also hard for everyone to hide their laughter whenever the baby would take a good look at whoever was holding him, adopt a look of utter concentration, and then change his hair color again. He laughed and fussed and wiggled around, a little bundle of energy that was a distinct reminder that through everything that happened, life would go on. 

As the ceremony ended, Tonks and Lupin's caskets were laid in the earth beside the headstone of Ted Tonks. The members of the crowd got to their feet, some moving forward to offer flowers and condolences, but most talking amongst themselves or else coming over to get a final look at Teddy, who was now bouncing in Ginny's arms.

"We really shouldn't give him all this attention," she said with a laugh to the rest of the now familiar group of her, Harry, George, Hermione and Ron. "He may get too used to it and start believing that he's someone important."

"Or we could keep it up and then he'll rebel against us all when he's older," George teased.

"He's going to be a handful, Harry," Hermione said smiling. "Are you sure you're up to it?"

"Definitely," Harry said with a grin. "Besides, with the lot of us looking after him, he's bound to be alright."

"Here, Ron," Ginny said, turning to him. "You want to hold him? You haven't yet."

"Surely that would be considered a good thing?" drawled a voice from behind them. They looked around and saw that Draco Malfoy had approached their group, his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised at Teddy.

"I mean its one thing to drop a Quaffle a million times, Weasley. But if you drop a kid, you'll probably break it."

"To what do we owe this pleasure, Malfoy?" George shot at him, as the others glared and Hermione held tightly to Ron's hand, reminding him to stay calm. "The mood's grim enough around here without having to see your face."

Draco shrugged lazily. "I've got a reason. And I figured I may as well get a look at that little thing while I'm here. After all, we are distantly related, though I'll admit that's somewhat unfortunate."

"Yeah, unfortunate for him," Ginny snarled through a glare that should've caused Draco physical pain. "Why don't you hurry up with your _reason_ and then clear off before I remind you what it's like to be at the receiving end of one of my hexes."

"I've got something to clear up with you, Potter," Draco said, and for the first time, his mask of disdain slipped, and he looked slightly anxious. "And I'd appreciate it if you'd not make me wait."

"I'd appreciate it if this isn't a waste of my time," Harry said, watching him carefully. "Is it going to be?"

"Why don't you stop acting the strong hero for once and find out yourself?"

They stared closely at each other, hardly blinking. Ginny and George exchanged dark looks and Hermione was still holding Ron's hand tight, which was a good thing; his ears were pink and the muscles in his hand were tense, as if he had his wand and was already hexing Draco into oblivion.

"Fine," Harry finally conceded. "But make it quick Malfoy. I'm here to spend time with my godson, not you."

"Touching," Draco jeered, turning and walking several paces away. Harry followed, ignoring the wary and incredulous looks from the others, though he had casually slipped his hand into the pocket of his jeans. He wasn't going to have a private conversation with Draco Malfoy and not be readily armed with his wand.

"Right," Harry said when they were just out of ear shot of the others. "Get on with it then."

"We're on my terms here, Potter," Draco said stonily. "This doesn't get out to your little mock family over there, understand?"

"I'm losing my patience," Harry said with a glare.

"I just want to tell you that we're square," Draco snapped. "That we don't owe each other anything, alright?"

Dropping his defense, Harry looked at Malfoy in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about everything," Malfoy said, again with that shifty look in his eyes as he glanced off toward where his parents were still seated. "You saved my life, I saved yours. There's nothing else we have to do."

"I still don't-"

"Honestly, Potter," Draco snarled, "you defeat the Dark Lord and you're still just as stupid the next day. You saved my life from that fire in that room, but I saved your life when I covered for you at my house, when Greyback caught you."

"You did not-" Harry began furiously, but Draco cut over him.

"Didn't I?" he said. "How about when they asked me if I recognized you? Or when I recognized Weasley or Granger right off, but I didn't say that I did. I knew it was you three the moment you walked in…though your face was certainly an improvement," he snorted.

Harry's brow furrowed as he thought back to that night and slowly began to realize that it was true. Whether it had been out of fear, guilt, or perhaps a twisted desire to see Greyback fail, Draco Malfoy had not admitted that Harry Potter and his friends were the ones that had been taken into his sitting room.

"Finally catching on," Draco said approvingly at Harry's expression.

"I – well – what do you want me to say?" Harry asked slowly, part of him dreading the answer.

"Well, of course I wish that you'd be in my debt forever, but that's not how it's going to work," Draco admitted. "That's why I say we're square. We each saved each other for whatever reasons we had at the time. But that was then, and it doesn't change anything now. We're not going to suddenly become best friends, so we're just…we're square, alright?"

Harry considered this for a second, thinking back to something Hermione had said earlier when they had all first spotted the Malfoy's … _We're likely to see them all from time to time_ … and she was right. But as Draco was saying, there were too many past incidents to suddenly make them all friends. But to at least agree to not being in any debt to each other, to just move on with things, was a more suitable solution.

"Alright," Harry said nodding. "We're square, Malfoy."

"Good," Draco said, nodding as well. "So," he said, glancing back at his parents, who had now gotten to their feet, Narcissa talking to Andromeda, and Lucius looking haughtily around at the other guests. "We're done here, Potter."

"Why did you cover for us at your manor, Malfoy?" Harry asked before he could get away. "You hate our guts, or at least mine. Why not hand us all off to Voldemort?"

And for the first time that Harry could remember, Draco Malfoy looked at him without a trace of anger, annoyance, or even dislike. His face was calm, and in a serious tone of voice that Harry had never heard before, he spoke.

"I don't know why I did it, Potter. But it was probably for the same reason you didn't let me burn to death."

And without another word, his trademark sneer sliding back onto his face, Draco turned and walked back over to his parents, leaving a slightly stunned Harry behind.

After a few more second, Harry gave himself a shake and then headed back over toward the others, who were watching him anxiously.

"What happened?" Ginny demanded even before Harry had fully come up to them. "What did he want?"

Harry thought about it for a moment, before reaching out and taking Teddy, who shrieked excitedly and quickly brought back the dark black shade to his hair.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Harry said simply, ruffling Teddy's hair.

As the crowd began to thin, those staying for a bite to eat began to gravitate back to the house, grabbing a plate and sitting around together both inside and out in back. The Weasleys, along with Harry and Hermione all said goodbye to Hagrid before heading inside after Andromeda. Over dinner they talked and laughed together, remembering happier time or catching up with each other. Within the hour, Teddy's head began to fall heavier and heavier onto Harry's shoulder, and eventually, to the slight disappoint of everyone, he was whisked away by his grandmother, who was insisting that he needed to sleep.

"Trust me," she told their fallen faces. "If he doesn't sleep now, he'll keep me up all night."

Finally the hours were growing later and the guests were leaving. Soon it was just the group from the Burrow and Kingsley remaining and they too decided that it was time to leave. As they began their goodbyes to Andromeda, Kingsley addressed Harry, Hermione, and Ron.

"Do you three have a moment?" he said to them in a low voice.

Figuring it was pointless to keep this waiting any longer, Harry glanced at the others and they nodded. And after assuring an anxious looking Mrs. Weasley that Kingsley would personally see that the three of them got home safely, and that they could leave without them, the four of them got to their feet and left the sitting room in favor of the kitchen.

"I'll be outside, Kingsley," Andromeda said, picking up her wand to go clear the rest of the garden and leaving them in private. "And Teddy's still asleep, so try to keep it down."

"I'm amazed at how well she's doing," Hermione said softly as they waved her outside. "Loosing both her husband and daughter so quickly apart and having to watch Teddy now."

"It was a hard blow at first," Kingsley told her. "And while she is refusing to let that get in the way of raising Teddy, she knows she'll need some help. That's why she's really glad to have you, Harry."

Harry nodded. "We're a lot of extra hands right now. We can handle one baby; even one with the energy of twelve."

They all laughed, but then Kingsley fixed them all with a serious look. Luckily, he had never been one to drag these sorts of discussions out.

"So have you three reached any decisions about what we last talked about?"

"Well," Harry said. "I guess it'd be obvious what I've chosen. I'd be glad to come on as an Auror, Kingsley. So long as you don't put me out in the field and at the wrath of Mrs. Weasley and Ginny. At least not right away."

"Give them a grace period, I got you," Kingsley said chuckling, but he still extended his hand and shook Harry's. "Welcome aboard. So," he added, looking at Hermione and Ron, "any other new recruits at this time?"

"Not quite yet," Ron said with a smile. "George sort of asked me to come help him look after the shop for awhile. Doesn't want to be there without Fred right away. So I think I'm going to be there for as long as he needs."

Kingsley nodded impressively. "That's more than understandable, Ron. And a very wise choice, I think. But you know you'd always have a spot, should you want it later." Ron smiled appreciatively.

"Well," Hermione finally said, "the only thing that matters to me right now is my parents. Any decision I make, I'd want to talk it over with them first."

"I expected as much," Kingsley said, "which is why I've had some people keeping an eye out in the field, to see if bringing them back into the country is an option, and I think so long as we set up some protection, you can."

Hermione sighed in relief, but then she frowned slightly. "The most pressing matter with that though," she told them, "is that we have to get to Australia and restore their memories first."

"We?" Kingsley said, though he was looking knowingly at Harry and Ron.

"Ginny, too," Harry admitted and Kingsley raised an eyebrow, but sat in silence to hear them out.

"We weren't going to let her go by herself," Ron said, slightly defensively.

"I asked them to come," Hermione clarified. "I want them to."

"That's fine," Kingsley said slowly, "but resources in Magical Transportation are still being worked out and set back from whatever controls Voldemort had over them. And Apparation across countries –"

"-would be tricky enough on its own, and as Ginny will be coming, it's ridiculous to suggest Side-Along," Hermione agreed.

Harry and Ron glanced nervously at each other. Of course they both recalled how difficult Hermione had said it would be to get to her parents, but to hear it voiced with Kingsley present made it sound impossible.

"I already have a Muggle passport, Kingsley," Hermione went on. "I can get to Australia no problem. But the others would need one too if we were to go on a plane. Is there any way that you could help us out in that way?"

Kingsley thought about it for a moment. "Well," he said, "I do think there are some guidelines for that. I could speed along the application process a bit, but only so much."

"And you're alright with us going the Muggle way?" Harry asked. "No protections needed?"

"Are you kidding?" Kingsley laughed shortly. "You four would be escorted by so many wizards that it'll make your head spin."

"What!? No, c'mon-"

As Harry began to protest, Ron suddenly heard a distant noise in the house, something tiny and scared. He looked at the others but they had obviously taken no notice as Harry and Kingsley began to argue over a guard and Hermione tried talking over them to calm Harry down. Ron was about to brush it off as his imagination and join in with the conversation, but then he heard it again, higher this time. Curiosity getting the better of him, Ron got up from his seat and left the kitchen, listening closely as he entered the hall unnoticed.

After a few second of silence, it happened again, and Ron followed the sound down the hall, to a room near the end. It was open just a crack, and peaking inside, Ron could see what appeared to be Andromeda's bedroom. Hesitantly, he pushed the door open slowly and the sound reached him again at it's loudest yet.

Inside the room, on one side of the bed was a large crib. With dawning realization, Ron stepped into the room as Teddy Lupin continued to let out his small yelps, his tiny features twisted in what was obviously annoyance.

Cautiously, Ron crossed the room to the crib. Looking down, he saw that Teddy was still whimpering, his eyes wide and reproachful that anyone had left him on his own.

"What's wrong Teddy? Did Harry yelling wake you up?" Ron asked him.

Teddy's lips curled into a perfect pout as he squirmed impatiently. Ron had an idea at what he was supposed to do now, but still glanced anxiously over his shoulder, hoping for someone else to come in for the baby, maybe Andromeda or Harry. When no one came after a few long moments, he glanced warily back down at Teddy.

"I'm not so sure that I'm cut out for the whole holding you thing," he admitted sheepishly. "I don't think you'd like me."

Teddy, however, was having no excuses and he let out another cry and squirmed around even more.

"Alright, alright," Ron said hastily. "But I warned you. And stop flailing so I can figure this out…"

Brow furrowed in concentration, Ron reached into the crib, moving his hands around over the baby, first just trying to see where he was supposed to grab. Finally deciding to just go with his instinct, he slid his much bigger hands under Teddy and, being as careful as he possibly could, lifted him up.

"I really hope I'm doing this right," he muttered to himself as he adjusted his arms so that Teddy could be cradled in them. "There," he said, as he found a comfortable position and Teddy wasn't protesting.

"Ha. Shows what Malfoy knows. I can hold you just fine."

Teddy had stopped fussing and instead was looking very intently and quizzically at Ron, who met his gaze right on. Carefully, Ron reached up a hand and ran his fingers through Teddy's hair, which was now a slight brownish-blond.

"Is this what color you really have then? Though I'll admit it was cool when you did Harry's or when you made it go pink like your mum did."

Enjoying the attention his hair was getting again, Teddy let out a small gurgle of laughter. And then quite suddenly, the strands became just as red as any Weasley sported.

"Cheeky little midget," Ron laughed, a mixture of relief and satisfaction rising up in his chest to see that Teddy had so obviously taken to him. "You're lucky you can pull it off. Not everyone can have such good looking hair as a Weasley."

Teddy was still looking very pleased with himself, but he seemed to be getting quieter as he lay in Ron's arms, blinking sleepily.

"Tell you what," Ron said softly, not wanting to excite him up again if he was going back to sleep. "Seeing as you can pull off the red hair quite well, you can be an honorary part of our family, alright?"

"What, as if he wasn't already?" a voice said, and Ron looked over to see Harry watching him from the doorway.

"Yeah, well, now it's official," he told Harry with a grin. "He blends in and everything."

"We've got to get him to the Burrow sometime then," Harry said, coming over. "Soon. Before we all leave for Australia."

"Are Kingsley and Hermione still talking on that?"

"They're finishing, but I'll fill you in later. Don't want to wake him up," he motioned at Teddy, and Ron looked down in mild surprise to see he had fallen back asleep. "Just wanted to see where you went off to, we're going soon. Bye, Teddy," he added softly, reaching out to touch him one last time. "See you later."

"Alright," Ron said, "I'll be right there."

Harry nodded and left as Ron headed back to the crib to put the baby down. He gently placed him on his back and brought his blanket up as well.

"Blimey, you're tiny," he said in a slight awe, leaning against the edge of the crib and peering over. "There's no way I was this tiny."

"You may be tall now, Ron, but I'll bet you were just as small at his age."

He looked over again to see that Hermione had come into the room now.

"I wondered where you had gone," she told him, coming close. "Then Harry said you had come for Teddy and I couldn't resist seeing that for myself."

Ron smiled proudly. "I didn't even drop him."

Hermione laughed softly, walking around to the other side of the crib so that she could look down at Teddy too.

"Look at that hair," she whispered, reaching down and stroking the ginger locks softly.

"Cool, isn't it?" Ron said in a smug tone he couldn't hold back.

"I like it," Hermione said simply with a faint smile on her lips. "It's quite an adorable color really."

Ron laughed. "See what happens when you hang around me for too long? You pick up a preference for redheads."

Hermione smirked up at him. "Honestly, Ron, I've had a preference for redheads since I met you on the Hogwarts Express."

Ron grinned back at her, and watched as Hermione looked back down at Teddy, her fingers gently tracing over his small features. And all at once, a contented air had settled in the room, Teddy sleeping soundly, Hermione staring tenderly at him and Ron mesmerized by Hermione.

"I'm glad Teddy's here," Hermione murmured. "I think he's exactly what we need."

A feeling that he couldn't quite recognize took hold over Ron, as he raked his eyes across Hermione's face. There was just something about seeing her fawning over Teddy that was enlightening to him. It wasn't in the way that any crazy relative would shriek in delight over how cute and cuddly and adorable every baby they saw was. Hermione was simply taking Teddy in, appreciating the fact that he was here, quietly marveling at his tiny little self and quite honestly just giving him as much attention and love as she could. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something about it was making Ron realize just how amazing she was.

"Yeah," Ron told her, his gentle tone making Hermione look up at him again. "I think so too."

Hermione smiled warmly at Ron, noting how soft their voices had become, and although she still had a soft hand on Teddy's shoulder, she was looking only at Ron.

She would never voice aloud the way her heart had skipped a beat when she had walked in to see Ron standing over the crib of a small, red haired baby. How for a split second the scene had changed and they were in a different place, at a far off time, older and together with a crib between them…no, she wouldn't dare say that out loud. But then maybe she didn't have to, as the gaze Ron was meeting her with was matching her own intensity…

Teddy didn't even stir as Ron and Hermione simultaneously leaned over his crib, their lips meeting softly above him.

* * *

_  
_**Author's Note:** Yay for Teddy Lupin taking center stage! And wherever there's a baby, there's going to be fluff. Because that's what babies do to any mood. ;) 


End file.
